Wonderstruck
by EnchantedtoMeetYou
Summary: New Directions is taking on a Taylor Swift inspired Tribute for Nationals! Each chapter revolves around a TS song. St. Berry endgame, HummelBerry friendship. **Don't bother reading if you're not a Taylor Swift fan.**
1. Winner!

**Authors Note: I don't own Glee, or any of the songs used in this fic. Though that would be awesome.  
**

It was just about the crack of dawn when Rachel Berry's bright pink star shaped alarm clock went off to start her day. She had it programmed to play "Defying Gravity" this week to help her pull through the strains of being a social outcast at William McKinley High School. Every day was a new mountain to climb but she knew that it would all pay off when she became a world renowned star on the Broadway stage. She just had to survive until then.

Rachel rolled out of bed and turned on the radio to help her get her day started. She danced in front of her mirror while brushing her teeth, giving them extra care since her dentist visit with Dr. Carl. After five long minutes of intensive dental care she dressed herself in the outfit she carefully picked out the night before.

After the latest Lady Gaga song ended, the radio announcer came on to announce the WLOR103 Music Madness Winner of the Week. Rachel ran to the radio and crossed her fingers. Every week the local station would give out tickets to concerts, regional theatre performances, and prize packages to their most loyal listeners.

"Alright guys and girls, it's time to see who our lucky winner of WLOR13's _MUSIC MADNESS_ Weekly Drawing! This week's winner will be winning the biggest prize we have EVER given away to celebrate WLOR13's 10th Birthday today! This week's winner will be winning a very special chance to meet a very special artist! Okay here we go! "

Rachel was absolutely bouncing on her bed.

"PLEASE let it be Lady Gaga PLEASE!" she squealed to herself.

The rumor on the Music Madness forum was that Lady Gaga backstage passes was this week's prize. While Lady Gaga may not be one of Rachel's more common theatrical role models, she looked up to her for her vocal abilities and overall fearlessness. She would love the chance to sing with her one day and winning a contest with such a prize would surely get her foot in the door. It would be the absolute highlight of her year to be in the presence of such talent.

"And the winner of our contest is….With 1,363 entries….Rachel Berry from Lima, Ohio!"

Rachel screamed as she jumped up and down on her bed ecstatically.

"Rachel, you have one minute to call in to claim your very special secret prize!"

She dove over her bed and fell on her face before quickly crawling to her phone which was charging on the other side of the room.

"Remember Rachel, its 1-419-113-WLOR!"

"I KNOW!" she shouted as she incorrectly dialed the number.

"30 seconds Rachel!"

She gave her radio a dirty look before redialing the number and hitting send. It rang for an eternity before someone picked up.

"WLOR13, Northwestern Ohio's number one radio station where you can dance to today's latest-

"My name is Rachel Berry! Put me through to the DJ I only have ten seconds left to claim my prize!"

She was instantly connected through towards the DJ on air.

"Congratulations Rachel you've won!"

"What have I won?" She managed to squeal out without screaming.

"Well Rachel, you have won a grand package that includes an all expenses paid trip for two to Los Angeles, California where you and your guest will stay in luxury at a hotel worthy of the stars! While you're there a limo will pick you up and take you to the Staples Center to see a very special artist live in concert from the front row! Then after the show you and your guest will go backstage for a very special meet and greet!"

Rachel was at a loss for words. She had to know what artist this was. If he was leading her on for a chance to meet Ke$ha, she'd be livid.

"Are you ready to find out which artist you'll be meeting?"

She tried to remain calm but ended up shouting, "YES!"

"You will be meeting today's most popular young female artist.."

_._

"Her latest album just sold over 1 million albums in its first week!"

SHE! It's a SHE! But Gaga's new album isn't out yet. Who could it be?

"Just out with it, Jim!" She shouted.

"TAYLOR SWIFT!"

Rachel scrunched her face. Taylor Swift? That blonde that sings songs about fairytales and how much she needs guys who constantly break her heart? She hadn't heard much of her music but she wasn't very impressed with "Today Was a Fairytale". Nonetheless, this was a great opportunity to acquaint herself with Los Angeles if she was going to someday be a star. She couldn't say no to that.

"Thank you so much! This is absolutely wonderful!" she managed to say with the most believable false enthusiasm she could manage.

"We'll also be sending you Taylor's full set of CDs so you can have something to jam to until then! Now Rachel, which station makes your music dreams come true?"

"WLOR13!" she shouted before hanging up and sitting on her bed with a pout.

Taylor Swift?

"Alright girls and guys, here's my favorite Taylor Swift classic: _Love Story_!"

As the banjos of Love Story started up Rachel went to turn off her radio in protest but stopped when Taylor started to sing. Before she knew it she was starting to sway to the beat. By the chorus she was dancing in front of her mirror. When the song ended she was standing on top of her bed with her hair a mess from whipping it around.

Well, maybe Taylor is not so bad after all.

She hopped off her bed and slung her book bag over her shoulder. She had an idea that would surely win Nationals. She would bring the idea to Mister Schuester immediately. Glee club will be performing a tribute to Taylor Swift.

**That's chapter 1 guys! I hope you like it! This entire fic will be centered on Taylor songs and I have a whole plan for it straight through to the end. Also- In keeping with the site rules the actual meeting of Taylor will not be included. (I may write it as a bonus chapter and publish it on my tumblr if you guys want) Please review and I'll post the next chapters sooner! Lovelovelove –S-**


	2. Our Song Is The Way I Loved You

**Authors Note: Still not owning Glee. I'd like to be on the show though. Oh well, Enjoy! Oh and this takes place after sectionals and regionals . Thanks for the reviews. I have preselected a few Taylor songs from all of her albums (some singles, some not), but I'm open to any song suggestions!**

Rachel skipped breakfast so she could arrive at her school extra early that day to go to the library. She wanted to research a few Taylor Swift songs to present as ideas to the club after school. After finding a few that she felt was perfect to get the club on board, she proceeded to print out the sheet music and Xerox enough copies to pass out. The librarian gave her a dirty look when she saw how much paper Rachel was using to make the copies.

Rachel rolled her eyes.

"What is the problem? This is for Glee Club. We have lyrics that we have to actually study and learn before we can sing them. This isn't like a television show where everyone already knows the songs perfectly without even glancing at the sheet music." She said matter-of-factly before storming out of the library with her head held high.

As she was making her way over to her locker she searched the halls for her fellow Glee Clubbers to tell them her new great idea. She passed by Artie who was in deep conversation with Quinn and decided not to bother them because it seemed private. She was in the middle of wondering what was going on between the two of them when she spotted Finn leaning against her locker. She smiled at how cute the sight was, but something felt different inside. She didn't have much time to think about it though because Finn had seen her and waved.

"Good morning, Finn Hudson." She said with a cute smile.

"Good morning, Rachel Berry." Fin said back with his signature half-smile.

He leaned down to level his face with hers so that he could give her a sweet kiss.

She didn't know why she felt those doubting feelings before. He was her Finn; her sweet, goofy, lovable Finn. His morning kisses became a part of her daily routine like her morning energy shake. But did she really want a boyfriend that was so routinely predictable? She loved order and perfection in all cases but love. Whatever happened to spontaneity in a relationship? She remembered a time when her love life was full of passion and spontaneity. She also ended up facing the greatest heartbreak she could ever imagine because of it. Maybe it was best that she stay with Finn, no matter how predictable he is.

Finn gave her one last kiss before walking away hang out with Sam. Rachel glanced down at one of the song sheets she was carrying in her hand. She hadn't heard the song before, but luckily she had been taught to read music in her many years of training. She started humming along the song to herself until she was so fully absorbed in it that she felt the need to sing.

"_He can't see the smile I'm faking  
And my heart's not breaking  
Cause I'm not feeling anything at all  
And you were wild and crazy  
Just so frustrating intoxicating  
Complicated, got away by some mistake and now_

_I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain  
It's 2am and I'm cursing your name  
I'm so in love that I acted insane  
And that's the way I loved you  
Breaking down and coming undone  
It's a roller coaster kinda rush  
And I never knew I could feel that much  
And that's the way I loved you. I loved you, loved you. That's the way I loved you… _

After school ended Rachel bolted from her class and was the first to arrive at the rehearsal room. She waited in her seat for the rest of the Glee Clubbers to trickle in. Kurt and Mercedes were first. Kurt's face was buried in his cell phone and Mercedes looked annoyed with it. She walked ahead of him and sat down far away from Rachel.

Rachel turned in her seat and opened her mouth to greet her but was cut off immediately.

"Not now, girl. Not now."

She turned back to greet Kurt and nearly fell out of her chair when she found him standing in front of her. He put his cell phone away with a smile and sat down next to her. She adjusted her knee socks and glanced over him in confusion.

"She's mad that I'm spending so much time talking to Blaine. It was the first time I texted him all day. Seriously." He said as more Glee Clubbers walked into the room. He lowered his voice. "She's going through a lot right now and is lashing out. I think she needs space. Mind if I sit with you today?"

"Of course. What's wrong with her?"

"She asked out one of the jocks and he rejected her. Because well… you know." He sighed. "Jocks are such despicable losers."

Finn sat on the other side of Rachel.

"No offense, Finn." said Kurt.

Finn was clueless.

"Anyway, I was thinking we could surprise her with an inspiring song. Like the one we did for Quinn when she was…with child. And while you may be totally neurotic at times, you know how to find that perfect song for the moment. Will you help me?"

"Of course. We'll talk about it later", she smiled.

Mr. Schuester walked in and started writing "NATIONALS!" on the white board.

Kurt leaned in smiling to whisper in Rachel's ear.

"Oh yeah, congrats on winning that radio contest. I heard this morning."

"Thanks" she said, smiling at the fact that Kurt was being so nice to her.

Mr. Schuester turned around to face the students.

"Alright guys, it's time that we started to prepare for Nationals! We were good at Sectionals and we got lucky at Regionals. We're going to have to step it up for Nationals if we want to bring home the trophy! Ideas?"

"Let's do some Drizzy Drake!" Artie offered.

"I want to do some Miley Cyrus and get my "Can't be tamed" on!" Santana shouted with her hands in the air.

"I love Hannah Montana. I have my own blonde wig and I want to be her when I grow up." Brittany said, twirling her own blonde hair.

Everyone looked away from Brittany awkwardly until Puck broke the silence.

"Okaaaay. I'm sure there are more Jewish artists I have yet to pay tribute to."

Rachel raised her hand but started speaking before Mr. Schuester could even call on her.

"Mister Schuester, while I commend Noah's efforts to pay tribute to the Jewish people, I have come up with an idea that is sure to bring New Directions the first place trophy."

Rachel got up from her seat and turned to face the rest of the club.

"This morning I won a radio contest that opened my eyes to an artist that makes music that is perfect for what we stand for. She's one of the top selling artists of our generation and her songs are guaranteed to please. I'm talking about the amazingly talented Taylor Swift."

As she expected, all of the guys but Kurt started to protest. He gave a loud "Yesssss!" before giving Rachel the sign of the hand-heart.

"Before you say anything, you guys should know that Taylor faced the same things we face now when she was in school. She was shunned by her peers and became an outcast for loving music! Music was what kept her going through those dark times. Isn't that the heart of what New Directions stands for? Outsiders from all sides of the high school spectrum joining together through our love for music?"

"Rachel's right guys", said Mister Schuester. "I'm not gonna lie, I sing along to her on the radio all the time".

"Okay, well if the girls and Kurt could help me out with this song, I'll show you just how great a Taylor Swift number could be."

She passed out the lyrics to the other song she had prepared for the class. Quinn, Tina, Brittany, and Kurt volunteered to sing with her.

"Hit it!"

The song started with a tune from the fiddle.

Rachel pointed at Finn with a smile before starting to sing.

_I was riding shotgun with my hair undone in the front seat of his car  
He's got a one-hand feel on the steering wheel  
The other on my heart  
I look around, turn the radio down  
He says baby is something wrong?  
I say nothing I was just thinking how we don't have a song  
And he says..._

_Our song is the slamming screen doors,  
Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window  
When we're on the phone and you talk real slow  
'cause it's late and your mama don't know  
Our song is the way you laugh  
The first date "man, I didn't kiss her, and I should have"  
And when I got home ... before I said amen  
Asking God if he could play it again!_

Kurt grabbed Rachel and twirled her around the choir room while the rest of the girls danced around singing another chorus of Our Song acapella. The rest of the class was so into it that they were clapping to match the beat of the song.

_I was riding shotgun with my hair undone  
In the front seat of his car  
I grabbed a pen and an old napkin  
And I wrote down our song._

The rest of the class broke out in a thundering applause and cheers. The guys looked a little hesitant but were open to it, and that's all Rachel wanted from them.

Mr. Schuester called for everyone's attention,

"Well Guys, it looks like New Directions is taking on Taylor Swift!"

Rachel and Kurt jumped into each other's arms for a celebratory hug.

That was the first day that she truly felt like she wasn't on the oustide looking in.

**Hope you guys liked it! Comments will of course make me bring on new chapters faster! **

**Lovelovelove –S-**


	3. Forever The Name On My Lips

**Author's Note: Glee not mine. Neither are Taylor Swift songs. Love them though. Thanks for the reviews! Jesse is coming soon guys! Just hold out until the actual trip to LA.**

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* * *

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The guys of New Directions were still skeptical about the music selection for Nationals. They didn't want to be caught dead singing and dancing to country/pop. They were especially skeptical when Kurt brought in costume samples that were covered in glitter, sequins, and rhinestones. Puck nearly threw Kurt across the room when he offered to bedazzle his guitar like Taylor's. Brittany tried to show her enthusiasm by wearing three times the regular amount of eyeliner anyone wears. She also tried to perm her own hair, but ended up looking like a blonde poodle instead. As far as she knew, however, she looked exactly like Taylor Swift and demanded all the lead solos because of it.

The Taylor Swift theme had the guys extra nervous because Mr. Schuester announced to the class that Nationals would be televised on a popular television network. There was such a growing interest in Glee Clubs because of a recently popular television show that followed around a fictional high school Glee Club. Rachel tried watching the show, but found it to be extremely unrealistic. She only liked one character on the show who she felt she could identify with but she was constantly ridiculed and stripped of her solos. Rachel thought she was talented but she knew deep down inside that she could sing rings around that frequently autotuned actress.

* * *

A few days later, Rachel arrived home from school to a package on her doorstep. She immediately grabbed it and rushed inside upstairs to her room. She ran so fast that all her fathers could witness was a blur of brown hair and a baby pink kitten sweater. They didn't even bother to ask how her day was because by the time they'd get the words out, she'd be long gone.

After fighting with the industrial packaging that the postal service bound her prize in, she finally ripped it open and pulled out three CDs. The first one was a Deluxe Edition of Taylor Swift's debut album. The next was The Fearless Platinum Edition, and the third was the latest Deluxe Edition of Speak Now. At the bottom of the box was a manila envelope with her name on it. She squealed with delight at the sight of it.

She placed the first album into her cd player to surround herself with music while she found out the full details of her contest win. She sat back on her bed with the envelope as "Tim McGraw" started to play. After cutting it open with her pink letter opener, she pulled out a letter addressed to her.

_Dear Rachel,_

_ Congratulations on winning the contest! I can't wait for you to come to Los Angeles and see the Speak Now Tour from the front row! Then after the show you get to come backstage to the special T-Party Room that is originally for the most enthusiastic fans selected from the audience. There you can hang out, have pizza, and have a very special Meet & Greet. You'll have the best time, I'm sure of it. _

_ Lovelovelove_

_ -T-_

Rachel read that letter over and over in disbelief. She looked at the rest of the contents of the envelope and found two round-trip airline tickets, hotel information, two tickets, backstage passes on lanyards, and a week's itinerary. It was full of parties and sightseeing trips all over Los Angeles. She thought about trying out for a real audition while she was there. It couldn't hurt.

She sat on her bed listening to the albums for hours. She danced around to some, while she cried to others. When she danced, she whipped her hair around in Taylor fashion. When she cried, it was because she realized how much she could relate to the songs. Once she got to Speak Now she was so emotional. She could see her own life from the past year and a half in the lyrics of the songs. It was as if the songs were telling the story of her being bullied, her loneliness, and especially her heartbreak…

She had been in her room for three hours listening to music. The sun had set and the night brought on a chilly breeze through her window that blew her pink curtains. Shivering, she climbed out of bed and over to her drawer to find a sweater to wear. She reached for the first one she saw, a royal blue hoodie, and pulled it over her shoulders. It was over sized and fit her like a dress. She was wondering if one of her fathers' college sweaters had accidentally mixed with her laundry until she walked over to the mirror and saw her reflection.

It said _Vocal Adrenaline_.

Suddenly, Rachel was hit with a rush of emotion that she had thought she had moved past. Leaning against the dresser, her eyes started to well up with tears. They were the tears that she swore to herself that she'd never again release for him. There was no way that she could stop them from falling now.

"Last Kiss" started to play.

She slid down to the floor and stayed there for a while. She somehow knew the lyrics to the song.

_I still remember the look on your face  
Lit through the darkness at 1:58  
The words that you whispered for just us to know  
You told me you loved me  
So why did you go away  
Away_

She looked over at her bed and saw him sitting there. She knew she was just imagining it but she'd missed him so much, it didn't really matter. There he was, wearing black like he always did with a broody look on his gorgeous face. He looked down at her and his eyes softened at the sight of her.

_But now I'll go, sit on the floor  
Wearing your clothes  
All that I know is I don't know  
How to be something you miss_

She looked into his eyes and felt all of those wounds that she thought were healed rip right open again.

_I never thought we'd have a last kiss  
Never imagined we'd end like this  
Your name, forever the name on my lips._

She got up and walked closer to her imaginary Jesse. She reached out to him and pulled him to his feet and smiled as she sang the next verse.

_I do remember the swing of your step  
The life of the party, you're showing off again  
And I'd roll my eyes and then you'd pull me in  
I'm not much for dancing, but for you I did_

At those words he spun her around.

_Because I love your handshake, meeting my fathers  
I love how you walk with your hands in your pockets  
How you'd kiss me when I was in the middle of saying something  
There's not a day I don't miss those rude interruptions_

She was overcome with such emotion as she sang the next chorus. She sat on her bed and pulled up Jesse's facebook page on her laptop as her imaginary Jesse laid back on her bed. The real Jesse looked so happy in all of his college pictures at UCLA. She looked over at her hallucination with sadness and more tears forming in her large brown eyes.

_So I'll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep  
And I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe  
And I'll keep up with our old friends  
Just to ask them how you are  
Hope it's nice where you are _

She touched his face, swearing she could actually feel the heat of his skin against hers.

_And I hope the sun shines and it's a beautiful day  
And something reminds you you wish you had stayed  
You can plan for a change in the weather and time  
But I never planned on you changing your mind_

She shut her computer and let herself lay in his arms. She knew it wasn't real but it would have to do. Her eyes were becoming heavy as she felt sleep growing closer.

_So I'll go, sit on the floor wearing your clothes  
All that I know is I don't know how to be something you miss  
I never thought we'd have a last kiss  
Never imagined we'd end like this  
Your name, forever the name on my lips  
Just like our last kiss.._

_Forever the name on my lips  
Just like our last..._

_

* * *

_

Rachel woke up the next morning with swollen eyelids and a tears stained pillow. Despite the fact that it opened old wounds, that was the best dream she had ever had. She sat in bed, still in his sweater, feeling all of those old feelings again. She had to be real with herself; those feelings had never really gone away.

She reached over her bed and grabbed her cell phone. After browsing through her contacts she saw Jesse's number still in her address book. She still didn't have the heart to delete it. It would be as if permanently deleting him from her life. She had recently changed her cell phone number because of the harassing calls she was getting from Jacob Ben-Israel, so she knew she could text him anonymously if she wanted to. Did she though? After writing out a detailed pro's and con's list, which she ended up crumbling up anyway, she decided to go for it.

_All that I know is I don't know how to be something you miss._

She knew she'd regret this later...

When she sat down for breakfast, her dads eyed her with concern. After asking what was wrong, they said that they found her crying in her sleep on the floor last night. They had picked her up and put her in her bed. She told them that she was fine and had fallen asleep after talking to Finn for hours lying on her carpet, but they knew better than to believe that. They had seen their daughter this broken once before and knew who was behind it again this time.

* * *

Later on that day, Rachel came back to her room to hang up a new Taylor Swift poster on her wall to go along with her theatre posters. She was starting to look up to her because she felt as though this girl shared the same heartaches and setbacks she did. Despite all of the pain she had gone through, she still managed to become a star. She stood back, looking at the poster and smiled.


	4. I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry

**A/N: Thanks for all the comments guys. Keep reading and reviewing! This is one from Jesse's point of view. There will be more soon (another one tonight hopefully) because I have time off from school now!**

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Jesse St. James was well into his first year at UCLA, thanks to his full ride acquired from being the star of Vocal Adrenaline. Now he was in the process of taking over his new school, one production at a time. He was already the most sought after actor and singer on campus. He was also the most sought after guy on campus by all of the girls, from the shy invisible girls to the sororities. There were even a few guys after him. Because of this, every time he performed there would always be a full house every night.

Life was good, right?

Not so much.

He promised himself that when his plane landed in California he'd forget about everything that went wrong back home. He really messed up. He allowed himself to be so overcome with jealousy and the peer pressure from his fellow VA members. He tried with all his might to block out what he did that day, but there was no use. His own stupidity cost him the best thing that had ever been his.

There was no way that he could justify his actions on that fateful day.

Shelby was the one who took him to the airport because his parents were conveniently on another one of their cruise vacations. He remembered the final advice that she gave him before he left.

"Remember kid, you're a star. You have the potential to be the biggest thing that's ever hit the industry in years. Just don't let your own guilt get in the way of that. _Let it go_, and go shine."

For a while he really thought he would be okay. That lasted about as long as his flight. The truth was he would never be able to forgive himself for what he had done to Rachel Berry. He had to resist the urge to go back to her and beg for her forgiveness. But he knew that she deserved a guy who wouldn't break her heart, a guy she could really trust.

Maybe that guy was Finn. Whether he is or isn't, it isn't his place to get involved again after the damage he caused. He had to move on with his life in California, while Rachel eventually moved on with hers in New York City on Broadway. They would be on opposite ends of the country and would more than likely never see each other again. He knew he'd always silently support her in all she does because he truly believed that she was destined for great things.

It scared him how much he felt and still feels for Rachel. He had dated a ton of other girls who he had no problem forgetting about after it was over. Their hearts were left in pieces because of his inability to commit to a real relationship. Rachel wasn't supposed to be an exception; she supposed to be nothing more than an acting exercise. But that exercise went horribly wrong. Somewhere along the line, he actually fell for her. Maybe it was because she was the female equivalent of him. Maybe it was because she understood all of his theatrical quirks. He thought her quirks were just adorable…

Whenever he caught himself reminiscing on the good times he had with Rachel, he found himself wearing a bittersweet smile on his face. He still laughed at the fact that her fathers kept all of her baby teeth and that she took him to a Wiggles concert. If any of his other girlfriends would have asked him to go to a Wiggles concert, he would have ran away fast. But he just found Rachel too cute to abandon.

But he did abandon her.

* * *

It was the night of another one of his rehearsals at the campus theatre. He was the main male character of a show written by a student playwright on campus. She creatively mashed up Taylor Swift songs into a storyline about a girl who dreamed of becoming a great music artist. He played her boyfriend who broke her heart. He initially wanted to turn the role down because there was just no way that he could ever escape his guilt when he was playing a character that reminds him of his biggest regret. There was no way that he could turn it down after all of the media exposure the show generated because Taylor Swift herself tweeted about wanting to see it. Tickets to every show were already sold out because fans from all over the area ordered them just because she advertised it. He couldn't turn down that kind of exposure.

Once rehearsal got out, he decided to stick around and play piano to get his mind off of things. He liked to spend hours on his own composing melodies. It was sort of therapeutic for him. He was in the middle of playing a tune that he had recently composed when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

It was a text message from a restricted number.

_All that I know is I don't know how to be something you miss._

Jesse stared at the message for a few seconds in confusion. Was it a drunken text from one of his drunken one night stands from his past? Or could it be from her? It couldn't be though. He still had her number programmed into his phone and it wasn't restricted. But maybe she changed her number… Why would she miss him though?

There was no way that he could hide from his feelings for her any more. He was unraveling from the guilt that he carried for what he had done and the love for her that his heart still possessed. The sooner he accepted it the better.

On top of the piano was a Taylor Swift songbook from her Fearless album that some of the members of the band used for rehearsal. Jesse flipped through the book and found a song that he found relatable to his situation that another character in the show sang. He was adjusting the songbook in front of him when he saw another hand help him hold the book open.

Jesse nearly fell off of the piano bench in shock when he saw Rachel Berry sitting next to him with a smile. He knew that there was absolutely no way that she could be there. He must be hallucinating. Despite knowing this, he couldn't help but feel like taking advantage of his temporary insanity. If this was the only way he could be with Rachel, he welcomed insanity with open arms.

She sat there, her eyes moving from him to the piano, as if telling him to play for her. He smiled because it reminded him about their first time singing together when they first met. Come to think of it, she was wearing the same outfit she wore that day. His mind was definitely playing tricks on him. Nevertheless, he obeyed the wishes of his dream Rachel and started to play a song for her.

_I see your face in my mind as I drive away  
'Cause none of us thought it was gonna end that way  
People are people and sometimes we change our minds  
But it's killing me to see you go after all this time_

_And we know it's never simple, never easy  
Never a clean break, no one here to save me  
You're the only thing I know like the back of my hand  
_

He paused for a second to make sure his dream Rachel was still there before continuing. He didn't want her to disappear. He just couldn't…

_And I can't breathe  
Without you, but I have to  
Breathe  
Without you, but I have to_

_Never wanted this, never want to see you hurt  
Every little bump in the road I tried to swerve  
People are people and sometimes it doesn't work out  
Nothing we say is gonna save us from the fall out_

He invited her to sing along with him. He'd give anything to hear her voice melt into his again. His dream Rachel started to sing harmonies for him.

_And I can't breathe  
Without you, but I have to  
Breathe  
Without you, but I have to_

He was so into the song now that he was pounding the piano keys with such emotion. He had tried to keep it all inside, in hopes that they will somehow disappear. It was impossible.

_It's two a.m., feelin' like I just lost a friend  
Hope you know it's not easy, easy for me  
It's two a.m., feelin' like I just lost a friend  
Hope you know this ain't easy, easy for me_

_And we know it's never simple, never easy  
Never a clean break, no one here to save me, oh_

Their voices danced together as if they were made for each other. Jesse knew now that he could not live without Rachel Berry. He had to find her and get her back, if it was the last thing he ever did. Until then, this dream version of her would have to suffice.

_I can't breathe  
Without you, but I have to  
Breathe  
Without you, but I have to  
Breathe  
Without you, but I have to_

He was in tears. He would find Rachel and apologize for all the hurt he caused her. He had to._  
_  
_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry  
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…._

_

* * *

_

Jesse woke up at the piano with the Taylor Swift song book on top of his head. He had to have been sleeping for at least three hours. He glanced at his phone and saw that it was 2 am.

Was all of that a dream?

He went through his texts and found that mystery text message. He definitely didn't hallucinate that. He sighed to himself.

"Rachel, if that's you… I miss you more than you know." He said out loud as he glanced over to the spot where his dream Rachel sat.

Jesse gathered his things and drove home to turn in for the night. He was about to collapse in his bed when he remembered that he brought over a few mementos that reminded him of Rachel. He rummaged through his closet before he found the box.

Inside were a few photo booth pictures from their trips to the movies. He knew he looked excellent but could only stare at her. She was flawless.

The biggest thing in the box was the Care Bear that Rachel had given to him early into their relationship. He couldn't bring himself to throw it away. He picked up his Love A Lot Bear and held it for a while.

That night Jesse St. James, the guy known around for not having a heart, fell asleep tearfully clutching his Care Bear wishing that it was Rachel. He could never let her go. He couldn't breathe without her.


	5. People Throw Rocks At Things That Shine

That Monday, all of the members of New Directions were expected to come up with performance ideas and mashups for Nationals. Most of the members had decided to skip out on that assignment because they expected Rachel to pick up their slack. She normally had no problem with that but after such an emotional weekend she didn't have much to present. Because of this, she decided that the best thing to do would be to hound the rest of her fellow Glee Clubbers to come up with something themselves.

The first members she spotted were Artie and Quinn. Artie was completely covered in a slushy that looked as if to be cherry flavor. Rachel cringed because cherry was hard to remove from the hair.

Quinn was kneeling down in front of Artie and cleaning off his face with one of her highly expensive Cheerios towels. She then got up and started pushing his wheel chair over to the nearest bathroom so she could clean him off properly, but before she could, Karofsky was calling for her attention.

"Hey Cheerleader! Ditch the wheels!"

She was in the middle of saying something back when he hit her in the face with another cherry slushy.

"Look now, you guys match and can live happily ever after as losers." He shouted as the rest of his goons offered high fives.

Artie sighed and glanced up at Quinn's soaked red face.

"Cherry looks good on you, Q. I on the other hand am more of a blue raspberry." He said as he offered her his handkerchief. "Seriously though, you shouldn't be with me. You're losing your social status. Everyone's talking about you. I really like you and I don't want you getting slushy facials everyday because of me."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I worked so hard to get my status back that once I won Homecoming Queen, I realized that I wasn't really happy. I was happiest with my hair down in Glee Club where I was accepted for who I am. And you! It's not like I'm dating you for charity. You're smart, talented, and you don't pressure me beyond my limits. You take me as I am and I love you for it."

She looked down and blushed.

"I love you too, Quinn Fabray.", said Artie with a smile. "But, I'm afraid that next time they're going to do something worse. I don't want you getting thrown in the dumpster."

Quinn rolled her eyes as she gripped the handles on Artie's wheelchair with frustration and wheeled him into the bathroom.

Tina walked up to Rachel with a broken expression on her face after only seeing Artie and Quinn go into the bathroom together. Rachel looked over at her with bewilderment. Tina hardly ever spoke to her, but Rachel felt the need to listen to her. After all, if one member of the Glee Club falls, then the entire foundation is cracked and New Directions would surely lose Nationals.

"They're going out now", said Tina sadly.

"That's certainly an unexpected pairing", said Rachel.

"He has a thing for cheerleaders I guess. But I don't get why she's into him. Last I knew, Quinn was all about being the Queen Bee again. There's no way she'll get that status with Artie as her boyfriend."

"I think they're in love and status has nothing to do with it." said Rachel.

"Yeah, well she doesn't deserve him." Tina said before storming off.

The next New Directions members she ran into were Mercedes and Kurt. Mercedes was looking lifelessly into her locker while Kurt tried to reason with her over something. Rachel's first instincts were to leave them alone because of how hostile Mercedes had been recently, but this time she wanted to intervene. This was of course in the benefit of the Glee Club.

"Mercedes, are you okay?" Rachel asked in a hushed voice that she felt had just enough emotion in it to show Mercedes that she cared.

"Yeah, it's nothing. Those guys are just so…"

"Mean." Kurt finished for her. "The half of the football team that's not on New Directions has been picking on Mercedes since she asked out one of the jocks. They've been really rude and insensitive. Then again, when have they not been?"

Kurt sighed and looked down, clearly thinking about the bullying he'd experienced at the school. Since he transferred back to McKinley from Dalton Academy, things haven't been resolved and he was still being bullied on occasion. The difference was that he had a support system in his friends now that they were really there for him. He also wanted to show his bullies that they weren't going to run the only out gay student out of McKinley High. He was too strong to let them have the satisfaction.

Rachel put her hands on both of their shoulders supportively.

Kurt looked up with a sudden idea.

"I think I Glee Club should sing at this semester's pep rally. It'll totally beat out all of the other performances we've done in front of the school, trust me."

They all smiled at each other with a devilish grin.

When Glee Club met at the end of the day, Mr. Schuester sat down in a chair and waited for the rest of the club to present song ideas that would fit the Taylor Swift theme at Nationals. After quickly rejecting Puck's idea to mash up Taylor Swift with Kanye West in a 2009 VMA Musical Reenactment, Quinn raised her hand.

"Mr. Schuester? I think I have a song that I'd like to try out." She said with a glance over at Artie.

"Great Quinn, show us all what you've got!" said Mr. Schuester.

Quinn got up from her seat and wheeled Artie over to the center of the performance space.

"What's going on Q?" said Artie with a suspicious look on his face.

"You'll see." said Quinn with a smile.

As Quinn was telling the band what song she wanted to sing, Tina was writhing in her seat. Rachel wondered what happened between here and Mike Chang. She hadn't noticed it before but they hadn't been sitting near each other that day. Mike was watching Tina with longing. He obviously still had feelings for her. Rachel couldn't spend much time speculating on their relationship because it wasn't long before the pianist and guitarist started the music to Quinn's song.

Quinn stood in the middle of the choir room next to Artie, who still looked confused. She freed her hair from her tight ponytail. She then held his hand as she sang the first few lines.

_Elevator buttons and morning air  
Strangers' silence makes me wanna take the stairs  
If you were here we'd laugh about their vacant stares  
But right now, my time is theirs_

Seems like there's always someone who disapproves  
They'll judge it like they know about me and you  
And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do  
The jury's out, but my choice is you

Quinn started to dance around Artie's wheelchair with the biggest smile she had ever smiled.

_So don't you worry your pretty little mind  
People throw rocks at things that shine  
And life makes love look hard  
The stakes are high  
The waters rough  
But this love is ours_

Tina decided that she couldn't take any more of the performance and stormed out of the choir room.

_You never know what people have up their sleeves  
Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me  
Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles  
But I don't care, cause right now you're mine_

_And you'll say_

Artie started to sing the second chorus.

_don't you worry your pretty little mind  
People throw rocks at things that shine  
And life makes love look hard  
The stakes are high  
The waters rough  
But this love is ours_

Quinn sat on Artie's lap and held his hands in hers for the next part of the song.

_And it's not theirs to speculate  
If it's wrong and your hands are tough but they are where mine belong and  
I'll fight their doubt and give you faith with this song for you._

They both sang the rest of the song together.

_So don't you worry your pretty little mind  
People throw rocks at things that shine  
And life makes love look hard_

So don't you worry your pretty little mind  
People throw rocks at things that shine  
But they can't take what's ours  
They can't take what's ours  
The stakes are high  
The waters rough  
But this love is ours

The choir room burst with applause from the rest of the Glee Club members. Rachel and Kurt gave them both a standing ovation. New Directions had no previous knowledge of Quinn and Artie's new relationship but it was safe to say that the majority of the group approved.


	6. Tell Me Why You Gotta Be So Mean?

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long. School sucks. End of story. Anyway, here's a long one.

* * *

**

A week had passed and New Directions had chosen a few candidates for Nationals. They had also rehearsed a song for the Pep Rally every day after school and during their study periods. It wasn't easy to get all of the members together because the group hadn't been getting along that well.

Finn was avoiding Rachel and only showed up to rehearse the songs before finding an excuse to leave. Mister Schuester had to convince Tina to stay in the club after she spoke about quitting to get away from the recent Quartie pairing, but even they were bickering. Puck almost got thrown into Juvie again for setting off a paint ball cannon in Sue Sylvester's office. Worst of all, Kurt was starting to receive threats again from the football team.

On the day of the Pep Rally, Rachel arrived at the choir room extra early to get dressed for the performance. She was searching for her dress on the costume rack when Kurt and Mercedes walked in. Kurt was completely covered in cherry slushy. Rachel folded her arms and sighed.

Kurt shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. This is why we have to perform this today."

"Why can't Figgins punish them for doing this? This is abuse!" Rachel shouted in frustration.

Kurt was cleaning his face with a moist towelette, but gave up when he saw the damage to his hair and shirt in the mirror.

"Hopefully this song will make him wake up." He said before walking out of the room to properly clean off in the bathroom.

Rachel sighed again and went back to the costumes.

"Mercedes, your dress should look great on you. Black is very slimming and—"

"Girl, stop." She said rolling her eyes.

"I didn't mean it to be insulting. I was merely trying to compliment—"

Mercedes smiled.

"I know you're trying. In the spirit of the message we're trying to get across today, I'd like to apologize for the times I've been rude to you. So… I'm sorry."

Rachel said nothing for a few seconds.

"Well, you don't have to—"

Rachel stopped Mercedes to give her a hug.

"It was my turn to interrupt you" she said with a smile.

* * *

Soon enough, the whole club arrived at the choir room to get ready for their performance. The guys would be wearing black jeans with tucked in black shirts. Their sleeves were all rolled up to their elbows. Over their shirts, they wore dark red country vests. The girls were dressed in black sun dresses that fell to their knees. They had a V-neck neckline, and were completed with red sashes. To complete the look, the girls wore black cowboy boots, as well as red headbands.

The excitement of the performance seemed to boost the group's spirits, allowing them get along as if none of the recent issues had occurred. Everyone was getting along great as Tina applied every girl with heavy eye makeup and Kurt curled Rachel's hair. When she finished everyone's makeup, Tina hooked up her ipod speakers and started blasting Taylor Swift karaoke tracks for the girls to sing along together. The heavy banjo intro to You Belong with Me started up. Tina climbed up on top of one of the tables and started to sing.

_You're on the phone  
With your girlfriend  
She's upset  
She's going off about  
Something that you said  
'cause she doesn't get your humor  
Like I do  
I'm in the room  
It's a typical Tuesday night  
I'm listening to the kind of music  
She doesn't like  
She'll never know your story  
Like I do_

Tina jumped down from the table and spun around the room with attitude. Everyone was clapping along with the song but Quinn. She turned back to the mirror and continued to do her makeup without a smile. By this point, everyone else was singing along with her.

_But she wears short skirts  
I wear t-shirts  
She's cheer captain  
And I'm on the bleachers  
Dreaming about the day  
When you wake up and find  
That what you're looking for  
Has been here the whole time  
If you could see  
That I'm the one  
Who understands you  
Been here all along  
So why can't you  
See you belong with me  
You belong with me._

Everyone (except for Quinn) got up and finished the song together, singing into hair brushes and flipping their hair around. They all clapped together after the line that goes "I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry."

By this point, the guys had knocked on the door and peeked in to see what the commotion was about. Mister Schuester loved the performance and said that the song needed to be incorporated into the Nationals performance somehow. The guys, who were long ago annoyed by this song, enjoyed the impromptu performance as well. It was really what the group needed to bring everyone together for the pep rally performance.

* * *

As the group made their way over to the gym, they found themselves being blocked entry by the rest of the football team who stood there menacingly. They were all holding super sized slushies in their meaty hands.

Puck was the first person to step forward, fully prepared to brawl with the rest of the team. Before he could get a word out, Kurt stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let me." He whispered.

Kurt walked up to Karofsky and stared him in the eye for a few seconds.

"Got something to say to me, Queer Eye?" he barked.

"Yeah, I do. But you'll have to wait until the Pep Rally. Now, excuse me." He said, gesturing to the door.

Karofsky spit in Kurt's face.

As Kurt stood there with his eyes closed, Puck, Sam, and Finn rushed forward to fight. Rachel attempted to jump attack one of them, but was held back by Mike Chang and Brittany. She was flailing her arms trying to break free shouting "Let me go! I can take them!"

Kurt turned around and told them to stop before turning back.

He knocked the slushy out of Karofsky's hand, making it fly and hit Coach Sylvester's door. Within seconds she popped her head out, searching for the culprit. She spotted Karoffsky, the only one of the football team not holding a slushie.

"KAROFSKY. DETENTION." She shouted across the hall.

She looked at the whole scene in front of her and spotted Kurt. She shook her head and walked out to stand next to Kurt.

"You messing with Porcelain, Karofsky?" she said with fire in her eyes.

"It's Kurt, Coach Sylvester." Kurt corrected quietly.

"That's what I said, Porcelain. Should've let me call you Tickle-Me-Doughface."

"If I poke him in his belly will he giggle?", said Brittany, whose small voice could be heard from the back of the group.

Coach Sylvester was suddenly smiling. It was an evil smile.

"I've got it. I want you guys to drink your slushies as fast as you can. I want ice headaches! DO IT!" she shouted.

Every member of New Directions burst out into laughter at the sight of the football bullies doubled over in ice headache pain.

"Now get in there before I make all of you freeze your brains." Sue shouted at them as she walked back to her office to find her whistle.

As the members of the club took their positions behind the curtain, Rachel walked up to Kurt and gave him a hug. Mercedes joined in on the hug and invited everyone else. Even Artie wheeled himself around and wrapped his arms around the whole group.

"Now lets knock their faces off!" Puck shouted, causing everyone to cheer.

Mr. Schuester was on stage announcing the club's performance to the rest of the school.

"Here are your own New Directions, with a performance pulled together to…" he paused looking down at the notes Rachel wrote him. "Inspire and combat against peer adversity!".

The crowd was silent in confusion.

Mister Schuester sighed.

"This is to stop Bullying. New Directions, everybody!"

* * *

**A/N: change of pace with the way I'm writing out lyrics. For group numbers, the regular lyrics are in italics as usual, but anytime the rest of the group sings backup lines, they will be in bold. If the chorus is bolded, then its everyone singing. Ok- back to the show!**

* * *

Rachel was standing in the middle of the stage with a fierce look on her face, ready to perform as the band started the music. Rachel moved to the sound of the fiddles before starting to sing.

_I took a chance, I took a shot  
And you might think i'm bulletproof, but i'm not  
You took a swing, I took it hard  
And down here from the ground I see who you are_

_I'm sick and tired of your attitude  
I'm feeling like I don't know you  
You tell me that you love me then you cut me down  
And I need you like a heartbeat  
But you know you got a mean streak  
Makes me run for cover when you're around  
And here's to you and your temper  
Yes, I remember what you said last night  
And I know that you see what you're doing to me  
Tell me why.._

_Why?_

Kurt charged forward to the front of the stage as the music started to change up.

_Why?_

_Tell me why-_

Kurt and Rachel gave each other high fives as the exchanged spots. Kurt started singing immediately after Rachel's last 'Why?'"

-ya gotta be so mean?

The rest of New Direction's started to dance and clap behind him in rhythm to the song.

_You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me  
You have knocked me off my feet again, got me feeling like a nothing  
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard calling me out when I'm wounded  
You, picking on the weaker man_

_Well you can take me down with just one single blow  
But you don't know what you don't know_

_**Someday I'll be living in a big ole city  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean  
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean**__  
Why you gotta be so mean._

Mercedes stepped forward and took center stage. The rest of the group was dancing in a half circle around her.

_You, with your switching sides and your wildfire lies and your humiliation  
You have pointed out my flaws again, as if I don't already see them  
I walk with my head down trying to block you out cause I'll never impress you  
I just wanna feel okay again  
I bet you got pushed around  
Somebody made you cold  
But the cycle ends right now cause you can't lead me down that road  
And you don't know what you don't know._

_**Someday I'll be living in a big ole city  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean  
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean  
Why you gotta be so mean**_

By this point, the guys were dancing with the girls for the musical interlude. Brittany and Mike were dancing a dance that told the story of a girl breaking free from a hurtful guy. He tried to grab her but she leaped in the hair and landed gracefully away from him. She pushed him back into the group of guys before taking her spot with the girls again.

Rachel came forward to sing.

_And I can see you years from now in a bar  
__**Talking over a football game  
**__With that same big loud opinion  
__**But nobody's listening**__  
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things  
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing_

Kurt stepped forward to center stage. He stared Karofsky in the eye as he sang, with a devilish smile.

_But all you are is mean._

All you are is mean

And a liar

and pathetic

and alone in life

And mean,

**and mean, **

**and mean**

The rest of the group came forward to finish the song off together. They guys were throwing the girls in the air with such energy. They clapped as they sang and danced along to the rest of the song.

_**But someday I'll be living in a big ole city  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah  
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean  
Why you gotta be so mean  
Someday I'll be living in a big ole city  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean  
Why you gotta be so mean  
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean  
**_

_Why you gotta be so mean?_

The crowd cheered louder than they had ever cheered for them before. The group all took their bows and ran off stage cheering for themselves. Kurt was absolutely beaming. Rachel ran up to him and they hugged each other in celebration. She suddenly remembered something.

"Kurt, I just remembered. I'm going to be going out of town next week to California for the contest I won."

"You're gonna have so much fun!" he said.

Rachel shook her head.

"WE are going to have so much fun. Come with me?" she said with a smile.

"Rachel Berry, you couldn't keep me away. When we arrive, LA won't know what hit it."

* * *

**A/N: Yay! The trip is finally coming, which means St. Berry One more chapter before they leave for LA.**


	7. Think About What You Did

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long guys! School was crazy but I just finished my last final today and I'm on break so I will be posting more frequently. Happy Holidays!**

Chapter 7:

During the week leading up to the trip to LA, Rachel brought in potential concert outfits to ask for Kurt's opinion. After the fifth knitted sweater covered in puppies, Kurt decided that it was time for them to go shopping. She was in the middle of trying to stuff her sweater in her already full locker when Karofsky walked up to Kurt with his typical harsh face. Rachel put a hand on his shoulder.  
"I'll say something. Really, I will." She said.

"That's not really necessary. Would you give us a moment?"

"Sure." She said before shutting her locker and walking off to talk to Finn. She couldn't help but ignore Finn and watch Kurt's interaction with Karofsky.

Kurt sighed and set his bag down before crossing his arms and looking him in the eye.

"And you want?" said Kurt with a stone face.

Karofsky looked off to the side of the hall.

"Nothing I can ever have." He mumbled.

They both looked down, obviously remembering that kiss.

"So is that preppy guy your boyfriend?" Karofsky said, attempting to tone down the usual harshness in his voice.

"You mean Blaine. And no, we haven't made anything official—what do you want?" said Kurt, losing patience.

Karofsky sighed.

"Nothing. I just want you to know that you don't have to worry about me anymore. I can't make any promises about the rest of the team but I'm done."

Kurt laughed.

"Right…"

Karofsky punched the locker in frustration.

"This isn't easy! Listen..I'm sorry."

Rachel's jaw dropped, fully caught in the situation. Finn just stood next to her texting someone.

"Now just walk away!" Karofsky shouted before running off.

Kurt walked over to Rachel and Finn with a look of confusion on his face.

"Well um…", he started.

"It's about time." said someone behind Kurt.

He whipped around hoping that voice came from who he thought it was.

There stood Blaine, sans Dalton uniform.

"Blaine hi!" said Kurt, who was absolutely beaming.

"Just transferred in." he said as he flashed his schedule.

Rachel decided it was time to butt in.

"Why would you leave Dalton and the Warbler's for McKinley? Are you spying on us? What are your intentions? If you think-"

"And you're… Rachel?" Blaine asked Kurt.  
Rachel frowned.  
"I don't know whether or not I should be offended by that."

Blaine laughed.

"Okay, I left Dalton because Kurt was right. It was all about everyone being the same. Who you are and what made you special didn't matter, and it just lost the most special person to ever walk through those doors."

"You?" asked Kurt.

"No, you." said Blaine.

Rachel and Kurt both put their hands on their own hearts because of how romantic the moment was. She looked over at Finn to see his reaction but he had gone.

"And Rachel, don't worry about me invading New Directions. I'll audition like everyone else and take whatever part I'm given. But I do have an idea for a killer duet for your Taylor Swift theme." said Blaine with a perfect smile.

"You like Taylor Swift?" asked Rachel.

"_Love her!" _said Blaine in a sing-song voice.

Rachel smiled.

"I think you'll be a great addition, and as co-captain of New Directions, I'd like to welcome you to McKinley High."

Rachel spent her free period trying to find Finn, but no matter where she looked, he was nowhere to be found. It felt like she hadn't talk to him in weeks. She may had been thinking about Jesse a lot these past few weeks but she knew she'd never see him again. Finn was there for her to pick up the pieces and she wouldn't have her love life be any other way. She repeated that to herself a few more times so that she could try to believe it.

She was about the check the choir room when Quinn stepped in front of her.

"Listen, Brittany told Mike, told Tina, told Mercedes, told Puck, told Artie, told me that—"

"Quinn, what the heck are you talking about?" asked Rachel.

Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Brittany told Mike, told—"

"Told you what?"

"There's something you need to know." she said.

The rest felt like a blur. All she knew was that the Finn wasn't who she thought he was. He wasn't the sweet, faithful, and kind guy that she thought he was. He was unfaithful. Was every guy going to break her heart?

"Who?" Rachel finally managed to utter.

"Who what?"

"Who did he cheat with?" Rachel shouted, causing passerby to stare.

Quinn looked as though she were dreading this part.

"Santana."

Rachel looked as though she were about to fall over.

"Where. Is. He." She uttered through gritted teeth.

"Football practice…"

Suddenly, Rachel was gone. She stormed over to the locker room and knocked over Coach Bieste in the process.

"Woah girl, did you ever think about playing football?"

She stormed past the Coach without as much as a glance and threw the door open to the changing room.

There he was, in the middle of taking off his jersey after a long practice. Rachel stood there in the doorway, unable to think of words. If she tried to say something, she'd only scream.

Finn looked up at her and knew that she knew by the look of sheer hurt on her face.

"Rachel I..."

"Is this your way of getting back at me for that thing with Puck last winter?"

"No, I…"

"Now you listen to me, Finn Hudson. I trusted you. I gave you my heart. And you… You took it and stomped on it! How could you?" she said in hysterics.

Finn sat down on the bench and looked up at Rachel's face that resembled a crushed puppy.

"Santana and I started hanging out more last Christmas when we… were taking a break. I don't know why I did it. She was just so exciting and knew so much about…"

Rachel looked away.

"Sex."

At that, Rachel's rage returned to her and she slapped him hard.

"Rachel, I'm sorry." he whispered.

She stiffened up and crossed her arms.

"No Finn, you're not sorry."

She spun on her feet and stormed out so that he wouldn't see her cry. She considered going straight home, but changed direction towards the choir room. A few of the members of New Directions were already there, waiting for rehearsal to start. Santana sat in the middle of everyone telling a story. Only Brittany seemed to be listening to her because the rest looked annoyed.

"Finn told me she's not a saint and she's not what you think. She's an actress."

Rachel ran up to her and grabbed her by the hair and shoved her aside.

"NOW GO STAND IN THE CORNER AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU DID!"

The members of the band looked over at Rachel and she nodded. The music started.

"Time for a little Revenge!"

_The story starts when it was hot and it was summer and  
I had it all, I had him right there where I wanted him  
She came along, got him alone, and let's hear the applause  
She took him faster than you could say sabotage  
I never saw it coming, wouldn't have suspected it  
I underestimated just who I was dealing with  
She had to know the pain was beating on me like a drum  
She underestimated just who she was from stealing from_

Santana stormed up to Rachel's face and started singing

_She's not a saint, and she's not what you think  
She's an actress, whoa_

Rachel pushed her away to take the next line.

_But she's better known for the things that she does on the mattress  
Whoa  
Soon she's gonna find stealing other peoples' toys on the playground won't make you many friends  
She should keep in mind  
She should keep in mind  
There is nothing I do better than revenge_

The band played as they had a small catfight. The rest of the members of New Directions were caught in between watching the drama and wanting to break it up. Rachel was surprisingly winning the fight. She was on top of her, holding her down, while she sang.

_I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at honey  
You might have him but haven't you heard  
I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at honey  
You might have him but I always get the last word  
Whoaaaa!_

Santana pushed her off and was soon holding Rachel down to the floor.

_She's not a saint, and she's not what you think  
She's an actress, whoa_

_SHE DESERVED IT_

Rachel ripped Santana's extensions out.

_she's better known for the things that she does on the mattress  
Whoa  
Soon she's gonna find stealing other peoples' toys on the playground won't make you many friends  
She should keep in mind  
She should keep in mind  
There is nothing I do better than revenge_

They were both standing opposite each other, scratches on their faces and hair messed up. Rachel took the next line, with Santana singing backup.

_Do you still feel like you know what you're doing  
Cause I don't _

**No**

_think you _

**No**

_Do_

**No**  
_Oh,_

**NO**

Santana started pulling Rachel's hair.

_do you still feel like you know what you're doing  
I don't think you do, I don't think you do_

Rachel shoved her and started clapping in her face.  
_Let's hear the applause  
Come on show me how much better you are_

SO MUCH BETTER YEAH?

_See you deserve some applause  
Cause you're so much better_

_She took him faster than you could say sabotage!_

It took Finn entering the choir room to break up the fight. Mister Schuester walked in right after him, totally confused over what he just missed.

"Were you girls just fighting?" he asked.

"Yeah, and Rachel was winning." Mercedes said.

He then went on to lecture them about the importance of being a team no matter what happens personally. Rachel had enough and just wanted to go home. Finn grabbed her by the arm and tried to hold her back but she kept going. He followed her, still shouting apologies at her.

"Rachel, I take it all back, just give me one chance! It was a moment of weakness!"

She laughed and turned to face him.

_It's strange to think the songs we used to sing  
The smiles, the flowers, everything: is gone  
Yesterday I found out about you  
Even now just looking at you: feels wrong  
You say that you'd take it all back, given one chance  
It was a moment of weakness and you said yes..._

"Rachel, do you really have to sing right now?"

She turned and kept singing as she walked down the stairs. He followed her.

_You should've said no, you should've gone home  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me...  
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind  
I shouldn't be asking myself why  
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me_

"Rachel, I'm not going to follow you home. This is your last chance to forgive me!" he shouted in frustration.

She turned to face him and sang, circling him.

_You can see that I've been crying  
And baby you know all the right things: to say  
But do you honestly expect me to believe  
We could ever be the same...  
You say that the past is the past, you need one chance  
It was a moment of weakness and you said yes..._

She sang the chorus again, holding back tears. She couldn't believe how much Taylor Swift songs related her everyday problems. It was scary. She stood at the door, watching the rain failing outside. She was almost out the door when she turned around with a smile and looked him in the eye. He smiled, assuming the forgiveness was coming.

_I can't resist... before you go, tell me this  
Was it worth it...  
Was she worth this..._

She pushed the doors to the school open and slowly stepped out into the rain.

_No... no no no..._

When the rain touched her skin, she felt all of the pain wash away and be replaced by anger and empowerment. She didn't need him. She was angry at him for betraying her, but she wouldn't let him hurt her. The rain was cleaning all of that away. He stood in the doorway watching her whip her hair in the rain as she finished the song.

_You should've said no, you should've gone home  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me..._

Finn sadly sang,

**COME BACK TO ME**

She whipped her wet hair out of her face to continue.

_And I should've been there, in the back of your mind  
I shouldn't be asking myself why  
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me_

She finished the song, on her knees with her face up at the sky. A slight smile was on her face. She would go to Los Angeles on Saturday with Kurt and forget all about Finn. It was time for a change of pace anyway. She needed this.

**A/N: Action packed, eh? Next chapter the real fun starts with the trip to LA and….Jesse St. James?**


	8. Never Look Back

**A/N: Throwing in a chapter today because I want to get as much writing in as possible this week. Here's a songless one to change things up a bit. Comments please?**

* * *

The rain was still pouring that night as Rachel packed for her trip with Kurt. She didn't have to put much thought into what to bring after Kurt's assistance, so she robotically folded her outfits without much care to her usual organization. She wasn't her usual self tonight. Sometimes she felt as though she were fine and didn't care that Finn was out of her life. But right now she was feeling the opposite end of her double sided grief. She was confused as to why this was hurting her so much because she had been neglecting Finn a lot for the past few weeks, unable to rid her mind of Jesse. It wasn't the fact that the relationship was over that hurt her so much; it was that another guy had once again broken her trust. She wasn't enough for him, and that hurt her dearly. She felt flawed. She felt damaged.

What was wrong with her?

What was so wrong with her that Finn needed to cheat with Santana? What was so wrong with her that the jocks had to give her slushy facials each day? What was so wrong with her that Shelby abandoned her for a baby? What was so wrong with her that Jesse had to do what he did?

Jesse.

Now she was thinking of Jesse.

She knew that he was busy studying at UCLA. It dawned on her now that she was heading to the same city that he currently lives in.

"Los Angeles is a big place. There's no way I can run into him…" she thought to herself.

But did she really want that? She would never admit it to herself, not even in her thoughts, but she knew that she secretly wished she'd see his face there. But what would happen if she did? Would she get angry at him and slap him, like she did to Finn? Would she run away in fear the second she saw him? She didn't want to think about it, and luckily she didn't have to because Kurt was calling her.

They finalized their meet up plans for their flight together and he gave her a few kind words to hold onto until then. She was so glad that she and Kurt had become friends. She really needed a friend, and she really needs one now. When they hung up, she felt slightly happier. The positive side of her grief was in full swing and she decided to work out to a Broadway Cardio Dance DVD. She was in the middle of dancing to "You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray, when Finn called her. She stared at her phone and fought the urge to toss it into her wall as hard as she could.

The call made the grief scale tip in the other direction and she was now throwing everything that reminded her of him in a box. Tears were streaming down her face when she found a scrapbook that she made for them to look back on their early times together when they were married in the future. She pulled out all of the pictures and threw them in the box when she had an idea.

She grabbed the box and her iPod and ran downstairs and outside to the driveway. She hooked up her iPod to her car and played her recently done "Breakup Playlist" of Taylor Swift songs. She skipped through until she reached "Picture to Burn". Singing and dancing to the song, she found a lighter in her garage that was perfect for what she wanted to do. Before she lit the box, she sprinkled a good amount of leaves and twigs around the box for extra burning. She finally lit the box on fire and sang the rest of the song loudly. She didn't really care that the neighbors were poking their heads out their windows to see what she was up to now. Nor did she care about the fact that her fathers stood in the entrance doorway staring at their daughter with looks of concern. When the song was over, she put out the fire with the garden hose and walked back inside, without an explanation for her parents.

She wasn't sure how many times her depression would switch sides, but hoped it wouldn't get in the way of her trip. She couldn't wait to see Taylor Swift in person. Smiling at the thought of meeting her, she tried to think of things to say. After writing lists of points, the one thing that she kept repeating in her head was "Thank You."

More of Taylor's breakup songs were playing in her room now, and she was crying. Some of her tears were out of sadness, some out of relief that someone somewhere understood what she was feeling. That was a big deal to someone who felt so left out of life at her school, especially with all of the bullying she has been through. It didn't matter that Taylor didn't know who she was, it only mattered that she had been through the same things, and managed to become very successful. If Taylor could do it, she could.

She could never thank her enough for getting her through this time. Now that she thought of it, since she was introduced to Taylor Swift music, her songs have gotten her through a lot of things. She chuckled to herself because the soundtrack to her life was surprisingly not a Broadway soundtrack. It was the melodies of a young country/pop singer who wrote from the heart. Rachel entertained the thought of someday performing a duet with her when she had finally overcome all odds and reached her lifetime goals. She leaned over here bed, reached for her dream journal, and flipped to the section where she wrote down her life goals.

At the bottom of the list, under "Sing at Carnegie Hall", she wrote with a smile: "Sing duet with Taylor Swift."

The morning of the flight to California, Rachel went over city safety precautions repeatedly with her fathers. They were concerned about Rachel going on a trip so far away for a week without a chaperone. She reassured them that she would be extra cautious and that they have no reason not to trust her. They drove her over to pick up Kurt, who couldn't stop smiling because he was about as excited as she was. When they reached the airport and Rachel's parents had gone back home, they shared headphones listening to music to get themselves ready for the concert.

When they got tired, and received enough weird looks from those around them, Kurt started giving out ideas for them to do on their days there.

"I googled a few teen clubs and found a few special theme nights going on this week. One club down the street from our hotel and is doing a Masquerade Night tonight. Up for it?" he asked.

"I don't know if I'm ready, Kurt." She responded quietly.

"Oh forget about Finn. He may be my brother now, but what he did was wrong and I'm still not speaking to him about it. Our parents don't like it, but I can't forgive him for hurting you like that right now. Anyway, this is what you need. You can just forget about him and dance all night with me and whatever guy you'll attract there. Don't look at me like that, you'll attract plenty." He said knowingly.

Rachel bit her lip.

"Rachel, please never look back on the hurt you've experienced over the past year. Don't let it define who you are. You are better than those jerks and what they did to you, so don't let them get in the way of you living your life.

She nodded with a slight smile.

"Would it convince you if I told you I already bought us masks?" he said, almost begging.

"Alright, fine. I'll go. It'll be fun." She said, trying to convince herself that she deserves fun right now.

"Oh, it shall be. After all the fun we'll have, you won't miss Finn at all. I don't know what we ever saw in him."

The two boarded their flight and were surprised to find that their seats were in first class. This was the first perk of the contest that they got to experience. They sat together in reclining soft seats and drank their complimentary sparkling cider. Rachel sat up and raised her glass.

"Here's to our adventure and leaving our lives behind us for a week. Oh, and to Taylor Swift, because the concert and meet and greet will be awesome!" she said, smiling a real smile for the first time in days.

"What a lovely toast. Cheers!" Kurt said as they tapped their glasses to each others.

The hours flew by (mostly full of Kurt trying to explain the storyline of every season of Lost to Rachel, which scared her because they were on an airplane) and before they knew, it they had touched down at LAX.

* * *

**A/N: I'm thinking of throwing in another Jesse POV chapter. Would you guys like that? Let me know :)**


	9. Drop Everything Now

**A/N: I'd like to thank oxymoron8 for constantly giving good feedback consistently. THANKS **

When the plane touched down, the sun had already set. The airport was bustling with thousands of people who were trying to catch their flights. Rachel and Kurt were in awe of the number of people. There wasn't even a fraction of this many people at the Lima airport. After getting over the initial shock, they made their way over to baggage claim where Rachel picked up her bright pink and star covered luggage set, which caused Kurt and the rest of the airport to heavily judge her. Kurt's heaved his designer black travel bag over his shoulder and followed Rachel out to the airport entrance.

"Maybe they'll be a person waiting for us holding a sign with your name on it, like on TV." said Kurt.

"JUST LIKE THAT!" Rachel squealed with delight as she spotted out a limo driver holding a sign that said, 'Rachel Berry'.

The trip to the hotel from the airport felt like a scene out of a cheesy teen movie. All they needed was a song to be playing in the background as they pointed at the sights that they had only seen in pictures and movies. They spotted a few clubs that Kurt had spoken about before. This made Rachel a little nervous, and Kurt more excited. He was talking about their night club plans straight up until the limo pulled up to the hotel entrance. Thankfully, the glamorous hotel caused Kurt to lose his train of thought in sheer awe.

They ran up to the front desk, where they were greeted and shown up to their suite. They each had a room with their own king sized beds and Rachel's room was complete with a balcony. The radio station and Big Machine Records seemed to have pulled out all of the stops with her luxurious prize. Rachel ran into her room to jump on her bed, but stopped when she saw all of the merchandise on her bed. There were autographed lithograph pictures, Taylor Swift dolls, a vinyl version of Speak Now, a Speak Now throw blanket, Speak Now tour shirts, Covergirl Natureluxe makeup, and a Sony panoramic camera that Taylor endorsed. Rachel was testing out her Natureluxe lip gloss when Kurt ran into her room.

"OH MY GOD YOU HAVE THEM TOO!" he shouted, at the sight of her prizes covering her bed.

They danced around her room for the next twenty minutes as Speak Now played on Kurt's laptop. They felt as though they were on top of the world. After their dance party, Kurt rummaged through Rachel's luggage to find an outfit for the club that night.

"Kurt, I don't know if I'm ready." she said tentatively.

"Nonsense. You need to rip the Finn band aid off and get out there. Here, this dress will work tonight. Now remember, it's a masquerade theme, so you'll wear it with this." he said, handing her a black and red sequined mask that just covered her eyes. It had small feathers on the sides for full affect. Rachel smiled because she thought it was gorgeous.

"You win." she said, taking her sparkly red one shoulder dress from his hands. She dressed in the bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She exhaled a deep breath, trying to rid her mind of the pain Finn caused her. Tonight, she will.

Jesse sat on the stage of his school's theatre, tuning out as his show's director gave the cast a pep talk. They had just finished their last dress rehearsal and were all ready to bring the house down the day after tomorrow. He was confident, perhaps too confident, that he would make the audience swoon with his performances. He was glad that rehearsals were finally over, because he really needed to get out and get a serious drink. Being under age never stopped Jesse before, and it won't stop him tonight.

"Ok guys, you know the rules. No partying tonight or tomorrow night. No drinking. It damages the voice." the director said.

Jesse rolled his eyes. He had gotten away with it before, and he will again. His cousin Victoria owned a club in the area that was hosting a masquerade themed party that night. He promised her that he wouldn't miss it, and he needed to get away from his naive co-stars anyway. They didn't have a real clue about what was in store for them when they got out into the real world of acting. Neither of them were driven enough to get there either. In his life, he had only met one other person who had the drive that he did… He shook his head, hoping that the thoughts of her would just fly out of his mind, but the effort was useless. He kept hearing Shelby telling him to move on in his head.

Tonight, he will.

He dressed himself in a black button shirt, and a red vest. Looking at his reflection, he felt as though he were about to perform for Vocal Adrenaline again. It was something Shelby would have definitely picked out for the guys. To break the VA vibe that he had going on, he put his black mask on. He thought of going with a white and black color scheme, but it was too Phantom of the Opera. That and he just looked really good in red and black. There was no doubt in his mind that he would turn heads. He felt as though the old Jesse St. James was surfacing as he planned out his night. The wild, pompous side of him he tried to leave behind after his last Vocal Adrenaline win was shining through. He said goodbye to this side of him after it cost him the most precious thing he had ever had. But what did it matter now, she was gone.

He drove over to the club and jumped to the front of the line. The bouncer recognized him and let him in without a single word. The dance floor was filled with people ranging from 17-21, who were all hidden behind their masks. Jesse smiled. Tonight he could be anyone he wanted, and it wouldn't matter tomorrow. He walked over to the bar and the bartender gave him alcohol without a problem. This was because the bartender was his cousin Victoria. Three shots in, and he was starting to feel good enough to scope out the territory.

Territory? This was definitely the old Jesse taking over. He didn't know how he felt about that, but the alcohol was taking over and he didn't care. He had another shot for good measure, and started dancing with the first girl he saw. She was a terrible dancer, so he looked around to see who else he could dance with. Off in the distance he spotted a petite girl with flowing brown hair dancing with a guy.

There was something about her that made his body tingle. Her face was covered with her red and black sequined mask, but he was enamored by the rest of her. She wore a sparkly red and black dress that fell above her knees. She was short, but her legs were long and perfectly shaped. She moved with such grace, leading him to believe that she must have taken years of dance lessons. She almost reminded him of…. no, he was here to forget about her. Rachel was in Ohio, probably rehearsing for another competition. But this girl, she had something to her that just screamed Rachel Berry.

He was about to go over and cut in, when his cousin tapped him on the shoulder.

"Jesse, sorry to get in the way of your dancing, but can you start the karaoke? Get some people into it, you know, get them to have fun." asked Victoria.

Jesse looked around to see where the girl was, and saw her sitting at the bar with the same guy she was dancing with. Were they together? He had to have one dance with her. He watched her tense up before drinking something. She couldn't have been a day older than eighteen, if that much. The drinking limit was really not being enforced tonight, but he was benefitting from it so he didn't care.

"Uhh, Jesse?" Victoria said, waving her hands in front of his face.

He blinked a few times before snapping back to reality.

"Yeah, of course." he said with a smile.

He walked up to the mini stage, where the DJ stood at his post. He glanced through the music selection and found something he liked. This Taylor Swift show he was working on was really getting to him, because the song he chose was featured on her latest album. He turned to the mic, and looked out at the crowd. He saw her there, on the side of the crowd, looking up at him. Their eyes connected magnetically, as if they were made to look into each other.

Jesse cleared his throat.

"Everyone having a good time tonight?" he said loudly.

The masked crowd cheered enthusiastically.

He smiled, which caused a number of girls in the crowd to swoon. Even with half of his face covered, he still had the power. The old Jesse enjoyed this.

"So tonight, we're starting up our new karaoke system and we need some people to help get it started. Any brave souls in the audience tonight care to volunteer?" he said.

The crowd was tentative.

Jesse looked over to his mystery girl and was pleased to see that the guy she came with was pressuring her into singing. She looked nervous. He knew just what to do.

"Come on, I'll make this easy. Whoever volunteers gets to sing a duet with me."

At that, girls started to push their way to the front for the chance. Jesse picked up another microphone and jumped off the stage, scanning the crowd.

"I'll pick my partner."

He walked over in the direction of the girl in the red and black sparkly dress and stopped right in front of her. The dim lights in the club made it difficult to really make out her facial features that weren't covered by her mask. He could see that her lips were perfectly covered in bright red lipstick. Her hair was curled, with a side part swept over part of her face. She was intoxicating.

"How about….you?" he asked her, praying she wouldn't say no.

She looked up at the karaoke screen and smiled when she saw the title of the karaoke track that was waiting to be played. She took the microphone from his hands and said, "Try to keep up!" as she walked ahead of him and onto the stage.

Jesse raised an eyebrow at her, impressed with her confidence. He jumped on the stage as the music started up. She danced center stage, as if tempting him to steal her spotlight. 

"Challenge accepted", he thought.

**A/N: Jesse is italics, she is bold. Both are bold italics.**

_The way you move is like a full-on rainstorm  
And I'm a house of cards  
You're the kind of reckless that should  
Send me running but  
I kinda know that I won't get far  
And you stood there in front of me  
Just close enough to touch  
__**Close enough to hope you couldn't see what I was thinking of**_

_**Drop**_** everything now**_**  
Meet me in the pouring rain  
Kiss me on the sidewalk  
Take away the pain  
Cause I see sparks fly  
Whenever you smile  
Get me with those green eyes baby  
As the lights go down  
Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around  
Cause I see sparks fly  
Whenever you smile**_

She danced around him before taking center stage. She seemed to glow in the spotlight.

**My mind forgets to remind me  
You're a bad idea**

She danced over to him and he twirled her. Electricity flowed between them as they touched.

**You touch me once and it's really something  
You find I'm even better than  
You imagined I would be  
I'm on my guard for the rest of the world, but with you  
I know it's no good  
And I could wait patiently  
But I really wish you would  
**

_Drop everything now  
__**Meet me in the pouring rain  
Kiss me on the sidewalk  
Take away the pain  
Cause I see sparks fly  
Whenever you smile**_

She danced around him with her arms in the air, her hips swaying in time with the music.

_**Get me with those green eyes baby  
As the lights go down  
Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around  
Cause I see sparks fly  
Whenever you smile**_

He offered out his hand and they danced together across the small stage. He didn't know her, but it felt so right. He felt as though he had known her for a long time. Their bodies fit together perfectly as they danced. They had such obvious chemistry that the crowd was cheering and clapping for them.

She jumped into his arms and he lifted her in the air. She ran her hands through his hair as the lights started to flash in time with the beat.

**I'll run my fingers through your hair  
And watch the lights go wild  
**_Just keep on keeping your eyes on me  
It's just wrong enough to make it feel right_  
**And lead me up the staircase  
Won't you whisper soft and slow**  
_I'm captivated by you baby like a fireworks show_

She peeled herself off him and stepped back slowly, tempting him to follow.

**Drop everything now  
Meet me in the pouring rain  
Kiss me on the sidewalk  
Take away the pain**_**  
**_**Cause I see sparks fly  
Whenever you smile**

He gave into the temptation and followed over to dance with her as they finished the song.

_**Get me with those green eyes baby  
As the lights go down  
Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around  
Cause I see sparks fly  
Whenever you smile**_

**Sparks fly,**

_oh baby smile_  
_**And the sparks fly.**_

The crowd went insane over them, cheering for an encore. Jesse looked over at the girl and saw that she was basking in the applause as much as he was. He wanted to talk to her so bad. The encore would have to wait.

"WHAT'S YOUR NAME?" he shouted over the crowd's cheers.

The cheering died down as more dance music started up again.

She smiled slyly and said, "Isn't the purpose masquerade night to hide your identity?"

Jesse crossed his arms with a smile.

"Sometimes you have to make an exception, don't you think?" he asked.

She looked away at the guy she was dancing with in the crowd.

"Are you with him?" he asked, praying she wasn't.

She whipped her head back quickly and laughed.

"No, definitely not."

He felt like dancing. What was this? Old Jesse would definitely not approve of this.

"Let me buy you a drink?" he asked with his signature smile. It worked on everyone.

Her smile faded. She looked as though she were fighting something internally. She took a step closer to him to take a closer look, but stepped back nervously.

"I have to go." she said quickly.

Those words made him start to internally panic. He couldn't let her go. He had to see her face fully, he had to know her name. He reached over and grabbed her hands. They were so soft, and so familiar.

"You obviously really like Taylor Swift. You knew all the words like you had sung this song in front of a mirror a thousand times."

She looked down, blushing with embarrassment.

"I know you have to go, but I have a show that I'm in that is full of her songs. I'm playing the male lead. Its over at UCLA, and opening night is the night after tomorrow at 8PM. If you want to see me again, then show up."

She looked uneasy.

"Listen, there will be two tickets available for you in the box office. Just give me your name."

She bit her lip.

"Abigail…. Yeah, Abigail….Jones." she said quickly.

Jesse folded his arms again, suspiciously. But he'll play her game.

"Alright, _Abigail Jones,_ there will be a seat for you and your friend waiting at the box office. I hope you'll show up." he said with a knowing smile, before kissing her hand.

That seemed to be too much for her and she ran off the stage and grabbed her friend before running out of the club. He stood there in the middle of the stage, feeling totally and absolutely wonderstruck.


	10. This Night Is Flawless

A/N: This short chapter goes hand in hand with the last one, so R&R? oh, and the song pattern is the same as last time:_ Jesse_.** Rachel**. _**Both**_

"What the heck was that all about?" said Kurt with frustration.

Rachel stood there on the sidewalk looking completely shocked.

"Rachel?" he asked.

"I told you I wasn't ready. He just, really reminded me of him. It was too much for me to handle. Even his smile…" she said full of emotion.

Kurt looked confused.

"What are you talking about? He looked nothing like Finn!" he shouted.

Rachel sighed and kept walking over in the direction of the hotel.

"If anything, he looked a lot like—"

Rachel spun on her feet to face him. Her face looked completely crushed.

Kurt nodded.

"Jesse." they both said in unison.

Kurt hooked his arm with hers as he led her back to the hotel. Neither of them saw that they were being watched by an onlooker at the club doors.

Back at the hotel, Rachel and Kurt sat in Rachel's bed together talking about what happened that night. Neither of them bothered to change first, so they sat together in their club clothes. Rachel sat on her bed, holding onto her teddy bear that she brought with her for comfort. Kurt looked up at her sympathetically.

She finally broke the silence.

"He just… gave me this feeling. All those good feelings that Jesse made me feel rushed back to me. It wasn't just because he looked like him from what was visible. It was his singing, and his confidence. His touch. It's like electricity." she said with a smile.

Kurt smiled because she was.

"Whoever this guy is… he's making you smile brighter than I've ever seen you smile with Finn, and I like that." he said.

"He invited us to a show he's doing. It's the day after tomorrow. He says its filled with Taylor Swift songs."  
"Then we must go." Kurt said instantly.

"It's not that simple. This would mean meeting him face to face after the show. I'm nervous. I don't know if I should be feeling these feelings so soon after a breakup."

Kurt sighed.

"Well if you don't like his performance, then we don't have to stay long enough for you to meet him. Just think of it as us checking out a college's theatre department. We should be doing this sort of thing anyway." he reasoned.

She buried herself under her pillow.

"I know you like him." He teased.

She sat up again.

"Do you really think we should go?"

Kurt nodded. "Just sleep on it, and let me know what you want to do in the morning, Rach."

With that, he bid her goodnight, and left to his room.

Rachel tried to sleep, but couldn't help tossing and turning. Her mind was racing, repeating the events from the party. She got out of bed to walk to the balcony, but stopped when she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She was smiling. Whoever this guy was, she had to know him. This short meeting was having such a good affect on her that she couldn't just let it end. She stepped onto the balcony and looked out at the lights coming from the local clubs, signs, and cars driving by. The rush of feelings that she was experiencing mixed with the sparkling view made her feel like she could do anything.

Little did she know, that back at the club, her "mystery guy" was thinking the exact same thing.

Jesse was still at the club, helping his cousin wipe down counters. He was wiping the same spot for two minutes, his mind in another place. He loaded the Speak Now karaoke cd again and pushed play on the song he thought fit his feelings. Back at her hotel, Rachel was singing the same song.

_There I was again tonight  
Forcing laughter, faking smiles  
Same old tired, lonely place  
Walls of insincerity  
Shifting eyes and vacancy  
Vanished when I saw your face  
All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you  
_**Your eyes whispered "Have we met?"  
Across the room, your silhouette  
Starts to make its way to me  
The playful conversation starts  
Counter all your quick remarks  
Like passing notes in secrecy**  
**And it was enchanting to meet you  
All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you**

Rachel danced on her balcony, careless to the people on the streets who may be watching.

_**This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
I was enchanted to meet you**_

She turned back inside her room, and paced around in thought.

**The lingering question kept me up  
2 am, who do you love?  
I wonder 'til I'm wide awake  
Now I'm pacing back and forth  
Wishing you were at my door  
I'd open up and you would say  
**_It was enchanting to meet you_**  
**_All I know is I was enchanted to meet you_

She couldn't wait until tomorrow; she had to see him tonight. Rachel slipped on her shoes and ran out the door and over to the club. She was so overcome with the magical feelings inside that she literally danced and twirled in the streets.

_This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
_**This night is flawless, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
**_**I was enchanted to meet you**_

_This is me praying that  
This was the very first page  
_**Not where the story line ends**  
_My thoughts will echo your name_  
_Until I see you again_  
**These are the words I held back  
As I was leaving too soon  
I was enchanted to meet you**

She reached the club in record time, wondering if she could spot him out without his mask. She ran inside but stopped dead when she saw him, still masked, with another girl. He was with the bartender, laughing. The bartender was beautifully dressed in a black dress. There was no way that Rachel could compete with her. But maybe they weren't anything. Maybe….

Jesse walked away from his cousin, who had just told him a quick funny story and stopped in his tracks when he thought he saw his mystery girl in the shadows. He took a double take but she was gone. He was falling for a girl so hard that he was hallucinating seeing her! Closing his eyes, he thought about the last image in his mind that he had of her. She was leaving with her guy friend. Her guy friend? He prayed they were really just friends.

Rachel hid from sight, her heart heavy. She started walking back to her hotel. Jesse removed his mask, and made his way out the club.

**Please don't be in love with someone else  
**_Please don't have somebody waiting on you  
__**Please don't be in love with someone else  
Please don't have somebody waiting on you**_

Both stood, not a block away from each other, unaware they were singing the same song. They each danced their way home, so full of the feelings that the other made them feel.

_**This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew**_  
_**This night is flawless, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
I was enchanted to meet you**_

Rachel reached her room again and shut her door. She walked back to her balcony. Jesse reached his apartment and looked out his window.

_**Please don't be in love with someone else**_**  
**_**Please don't have somebody waiting on you**_


	11. Freedom Ain't Nothing But Missing You

**A/N: Had to make a quick update to Chapter 8, because I messed up with the time sequence. I had originally written that the club night was the night before the concert, but it turned out to be the day of the flight. Oooops! Anyway, I fixed it so future readers don't get confused, and I'm letting current readers know here. So long story short: The Club was the same night of the flight, Jesse's performance is the day after the next. **

The next day, Rachel and Kurt traveled all over Los Angeles to sight see. They took hundreds of pictures together, fully intending on adding them to their facebook pages when they returned to their hotel that evening. Kurt updated pictures of him and Rachel, fully decked out in club clothes the night before. According to Mercedes, Finn wasn't happy that she was "tramping around" Los Angeles the way she was dressed. Kurt decided not to tell this to Rachel, because hearing about Finn was the last thing that she needed right now.

When the dynamic duo settled themselves in an outdoor café for lunch, he brought up the topic of the mystery guy's UCLA show. Rachel took a long sip of her lemon water before answering. She was intentionally drawing out her response to increase the suspense.

"Yes, we're going." she finally replied.

"Rachel Berry, you're absolutely beaming. I can't wait." said Kurt, unrolling his utensils from his napkin.

Rachel danced in her seat.

"Have you heard from Blaine?" she asked.

Kurt blushed.

"Yes, actually. He made it into New Directions—"

"No surprise there." Rachel said.

"—and he's actually choreographing a few numbers for our competition. It should be good."

"Do you think that we'll be able to pick up on the steps with the time that we're missing?" Rachel asked with concern.

"He already offered to give us extra lessons so we don't fall behind. He's just so…"

"Amazing." Rachel said with a smile.

That was as much conversation on New Directions as time could allow, because their food had arrived. Rachel ordered a veggie burger and a Kurt ordered a grilled chicken wrap. In the middle of the meal, Kurt had a thought, but he didn't know if it was wise to bring it up. After a few more bites of his wrap, he decided it would be best if he did.

"Rachel, there's something we really didn't think about." he finally said.

Rachel looked up and scrunched her nose, as if to ask "what?" while she chewed.

"Well, the show that this guy is performing at is in UCLA, right?" he paused as she nodded. "I'd hate to bring him up, but didn't you say that Jesse got a full ride at UCLA?"

Rachel stopped chewing and her eyes widened. She nodded a really small nod.

"Well he's probably a theatre major, right?"

Rachel swallowed hard and smacked her forehead. She was still silent.

"I don't want to give you any reason not to go, but… what if he's IN the show?" he asked.

"Oh my God." Rachel finally said. "How did I not think of that? I could actually run into him there! What if he see's me? What if he says something? What if he tells the masked guy that I'm this terrible person. What if—"

"Rachel you're thinking too much. I shouldn't have brought it up. Do you really think that Jesse St. James would take part in a show that revolves around _Taylor Swift_ music?" he asked.

"You're right. He'd think he's too good for that sort of thing." Rachel reasoned.

"If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if he dropped out and moved to New York to audition. He probably thinks he knows everything he needs to know about acting and school is just a waste of his time and energy." said Kurt, rolling his eyes.

Rachel was off in another world. She was thinking about Jesse again. It only hit her now that she was in his area. She could run into him at any time. For all she knew, she may have been two feet away from him at the club. She looked around at the rest of the restaurant customers for any sign of him.

"But Rachel, supposing you do run into him tomorrow night. How would you feel?" asked Kurt.

She didn't know what to say. Part of her really wanted to see him and see how he was doing. The same part of her wanted him to see that she was doing great without him. The other part would rather not see him because she had a feeling that if she did, she'd hit him.

"I have no idea." She replied. "I won't lie. Deep down inside, I still have feelings for him. But there's also a place inside that is still hurt for what he did to me. Both of those feelings so strong that it's almost impossible for one side to overpower the other."

Kurt rested his chin on his hand.

"Do you still want to go?" he asked.

Rachel thought for a second.

"That guy last night was just so special. I don't know him, but I just know that I need to see him again." She thought again. "If fate just so happens to make Jesse pop up again then maybe I'll get some closure."

"But what if he wants you back?"

Rachel laughed.

"After the egging, I highly doubt that." she frowned.

Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"What if the mystery guy AND Jesse want you?"

Rachel sunk her head into her hands. "I don't know" she mumbled through them.

Kurt smiled.

"Well either way, tomorrow is going to be pretty interesting…"

* * *

That night, Rachel had trouble falling asleep because she couldn't stop thinking about the guy from the club and Jesse. She imagined a hundred alternate scenarios. The first one had her choosing the mystery guy as Jesse watched in agony. The second had Jesse swooping her off her feet in a grand apology. The third had them both fighting over her. She could also be wasting her time, because there was a chance that Jesse wouldn't be there at all. Kurt was right, his ego was too big to be a part of this sort of thing. She couldn't tell if she was happy or sad by the thought. She closed her eyes and thought up a hundred more scenarios before finally falling asleep.

* * *

Time flew by the next day, and Rachel found herself running late on her way to the show. She spent hours trying to perfect her outfit, while Kurt tried out multiple hairstyles for her. They finally settled with a strapless green dress that looked amazing with her skin tone. Her dark hair was softly waved on her shoulders. She completed the look with a pair of emerald green pumps.

"Kurt, I feel so tall!" she laughed as they walked out of suite room.

They linked arms and strolled down to the hotel lobby together to catch a cab to the show. Employees stopped and stared at the pair because of how good they looked. Rachel was breathtaking in her green dress, and Kurt was incredibly sharp in his designer suit and matching fedora.

"Do you think we're overdressed for a college production?" asked Rachel as they stepped into their taxi.

They both laughed.

* * *

The box office was packed with people picking up their last minute tickets. When Rachel reached the front of the line, the lights were flashing for the guests to get to their seats.

"Name?" asked the ticket girl.

"Ra—"

Kurt cleared his throat.

"Abigail Jones." said Rachel quickly.

The ticket girl passed Rachel an envelope that contained two tickets, a note, and a clip on rose. Rachel pulled out the note and read it out loud.

" "_Abigail_",

I pulled some strings and got you two tickets in the front row. I hope you like it and can spot me out easily. I'm playing a pretty big part and get to sing in a lot of songs. But if you still can't spot me out, find me after the show at the stage door. I'll be wearing a red rose on my shirt, I've enclosed one for you.

Can't wait to see sparks fly when you smile.

_-?"_

Rachel immediately clipped the rose to her dress and ran into the theatre to take her seat. Kurt ran after her, clutching the programs. They reached their seats, but froze when they heard the screaming. The audience stood up and cheered and applauded for someone on the balcony. Rachel and Kurt looked up and their jaws dropped.

"Is that Taylor Swift?" asked Kurt in excitement.

His idea was confirmed when the blonde in the balcony waved back to the crowd and threw up her famous hand heart. Rachel screamed in excitement and joined the crowd as they copied the hand heart. The lights started flashing again to remind the audience to take their seats. They took their seats front row, center and Kurt started to skim the program. He reached the cast list and looked up in horror.

"Rachel!"

"Not now, it's starting!" Rachel whispered as the lights started to dim.

"Rachel you really need to see this!" he whispered loudly.

"SHH!"

The show started with a fantastic number that focused around a blonde Taylor Swift look-a-like singing "A Place In This World". Rachel mouthed the words along with the song in excitement. A cute guy with perfect hair danced around in the background for a group number. "Maybe that's him!" Rachel whispered to Kurt. She adored every part of the show until the guy playing the protagonist's love interest stepped on stage.

Her heart stopped instantly when she saw him. He stood there, dressed in fitted jeans and a tucked in red and blue three quarter sleeve plaid shirt. His hair was even more perfect than she remembered. It was lightly waved and begged to be touched. His face was serious, as he played a breakup scene with the main character. Despite the seriousness, his face was incredibly handsome. Rachel turned to look over at Kurt and saw him pointing to the cast list in the program. Rachel's jaw dropped when she read the name. Kurt nudged her, his eyes back on the stage.

Rachel turned her head and saw him standing at the edge of the stage, right in front of her. He lowered himself, and sat with his legs dangling off the stage. He was close enough to touch. Close enough to see her face clearly from where he sat. There was obviously no mistake in who it was.

"Jesse!" Rachel whispered.

For a few quick seconds, it appeared as though he had broken character. He stared at her, without blinking. Slowly, he looked her up and down, and focused on the rose on her dress for a few seconds. Rachel didn't notice this. His eyes softened as he looked up at her face again. Being the professional that he is though, he immediately snapped back into character and returned to the show. The rest of the audience failed to notice this moment, but Rachel and Kurt looked at each other in shock.

The rest of the show seemed to move incredibly slowly. Rachel tried to pay attention to the story, but she couldn't help but follow Jesse around with her eyes. She wondered what he was thinking because he definitely saw her. Her mind was flashing through the entire relationship she had with Jesse, from the meeting at the music store, straight up until the egging. She shut her eyes as she remembered the humiliation she felt. She opened her eyes and wiped away a few tears.

She thought of the mystery guy and how good he made her feel inside. She couldn't spend much time thinking about him, because Jesse had taken the stage again. He walked over to a piano and sat down seriously. Rachel could swear that he looked her in the eyes for a few seconds with a pained expression. He started playing as synthetic snow started to fall around him. His voice was so full of emotion.

_"I'm so glad you made time to see me  
How's life, tell me how's your family  
I haven't seen them in a while  
You've been good, busier than ever  
We small talk, work and the weather  
Your guard is up, and I know why  
Because the last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind  
You gave me roses and I left them there to die"_

At this point, he was looking her dead in the eye. Rachel started to wonder if this song had another meaning for him right now.

_"So this is me swallowing my pride  
Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night  
And I go back to December all the time  
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_  
_Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine  
I go back to December, turn around and make it alright  
I go back to December all the time"_

Rachel felt her heart soften as she teared up.

_"These days I haven't been sleeping  
Staying up playing back myself leaving  
When your birthday passed and I didn't call  
Then I think about summer, all the beautiful times  
I watched you laughing from the passenger side  
And realized I loved you in the fall  
And then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind  
You gave me all your love and all I gave you was goodbye"_

Her heart hardened. She flashed back to the egging and remembered the anger on his face as he smashed his egg on top of her. She replayed him walking away from her in her mind. Suddenly she was enraged.

_"So this is me swallowing my pride  
Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night  
And I go back to December all the time  
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you  
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine  
I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind  
I go back to December all the time"_

He played the song so beautifully, but Rachel was so torn inside. She couldn't pick between anger or forgiveness. She needed more time. The next part of the song didn't help in her pain either.

_"I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile, so good to me, so right  
And how you held me in your arms that September night  
The first time you ever saw me cry  
Maybe this is wishful thinking  
Probably mindless dreaming  
But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right_

__He stared Rachel in the eye.

_I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't  
So if the chain is on your door I understand"_

Suddenly, Rachel forgot where she was and found herself standing in the crowd staring at him. Without thinking, she started singing.

"**But it's too late to apologize! It's too late!**

**It's too late to apologize! It's too late!"**

Jesse quickly improvised around Rachel's outburst and continued. There was obvious heartache in his voice, but only Rachel and Kurt knew that it wasn't part of the show. The pain on his face was sincere.

_"But this is me swallowing my pride  
Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night!"_

**"It's too late to apologize! It's too late!"**

_"It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you  
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine!"_

**"It's too late to apologize…it's too late!"**

Rachel suddenly realized what was going on, and ran down the aisle and out the back. The audience followed her with their eyes in confusion. She stopped in the doorway to see him finish the song with his eyes still on her.

_"I go back to December turn around and make it alright  
I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind  
I go back to December all the time..._

_All the time..."_

**A/N: I came up with this idea after I saw Taylor's performance of Back to December at the American Music Awards. For those who don't know, she mashed up "Back to December" and "Apologize". Check out the video on youtube if you need help picturing it. Read and Review?**


	12. Never Knew I Could Feel This Much

**A/N: I literally spent all day on this, re-writing and going over it so I'm really nervous about how you guys receive it. I hope you like it. **

The second the final curtain fell, Jesse skipped his dressing room and grabbed his bag on the side of the stage. He ran straight for the stage door. He was almost at the door when his director cut in front of him and stopped him.

"Not so fast, St. James. Taylor Swift is here and the cast is going to gather to take a picture." he said, pulling him back to the stage.

He reluctantly followed his director over to the stage to join the rest of the cast. Throughout the whole thing, he kept checking his watch. After the many pictures with Taylor were finally taken, he turned to run out of the venue.

"I don't know how you managed to get through that wacko's interruption, but you did really good." his director commended him.

"Thanks!" he shouted back as he ran off.

Truthfully, working through Rachel's interruption wasn't easy for him. He may be the greatest actor he knows, but having her reject him in front of an entire crowd was hard to recover from. Seeing her face during his scene the first time was enough to send him over the edge. It was a struggle to turn away from her, when all he wanted was to hop off the stage and embrace her. Somehow, he managed to pull himself together and finish the scene. But every scene after became increasingly harder because he felt her stare. He couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking, and if she thought he was doing a good job. Since when did Jesse care about what someone thought about his performance? It scared him to find out just how much he wanted her approval.

When he had to sing Back To December, he knew it would be even more difficult. Whenever he rehearsed it, he thought of all he had done to Rachel. His director applauded his acting in the song, but the truth was, he wasn't acting. Each time he rehearsed it, the guilt resurfaced. Each time he sang it, he saw her face. This time she was actually there. He meant every word of the song and apparently she knew that. His fears came true when she rejected him. It was ten times more painful because she did it through song. Theatrical people like them tend to have trouble conveying their true emotions unless it was through music. When she ran away at the end, he fought the urge to stop playing and abandon the show. It was his biggest acting test he had ever faced.

He pushed the stage door open and scanned the crowd for Rachel. It was hard because there were more people waiting outside than he had expected. Ignoring his friend's compliments, he pushed passed them and continued his search for his girl. He prayed that she hadn't left. Any chance of reconciling with her would be gone if she left. He couldn't believe that he didn't know that she was the mystery girl at the club sooner. How could he forget that voice? In the time they had apart, her voice had grown stronger and a lot more beautiful than it already was. She had passion and heart in her voice that only came when you experience true heart break. He hated that he was probably the cause of it. Despite that, it was still the voice of his Rachel. No wonder he felt that magic when he sang with her. He had only previously felt that when they sang together. It all made sense now. There was no way that any other person could replace the feelings that Rachel made him feel. The only reason why this "mystery girl" had any true affect on him, was because she was in fact the girl whom he had been trying to forget all year.

She was still nowhere to be found.

"What's the point in finding her anyway? "asked a voice in the back of his head. "She hates you. Look at how she reacted to seeing you. If Rachel Berry sings that she won't forgive you, then she is serious."

Suddenly, he spotted a flash of green in the corner of his eye. He turned and saw her sitting on the edge of the sidewalk with her friend. His heart started pounding twice as fast. Fighting the fear in his heart, ("Fear? Jesse, since when do you fear over a girl?") he walked up to her and closed his eyes for a second. It was now or never.

"Rachel?"

* * *

Rachel closed her eyes. She didn't have to turn around to see who it was. She couldn't believe she never recognized the voice before. Kurt put his hand on her back in moral support. She stood up and turned to face him. Her heart was once again battling between the urge to slap him and run into his arms. She tried to avoid looking into his eyes because if she did, she feared she'd lose her strength. The effort was useless. The look on his face spoke more than an explanation ever could. His mouth was slightly open, trying to form words to say. It alternated between a slight smile and a frown, as if he was torn between pain, and the happiness to see her. His breathing was uneven, and Rachel was sure that if the crowd around them were gone, she would be able to hear his heart pounding in his chest. His eyes were glistening with slight traces of tears. They conveyed feelings of utter anguish and guilt. His eyebrows were raised in sadness. But was this sincere? If it was another act, then he was certainly the greatest actor whom she had ever met.

She reached out to touch him, but her hand recoiled. She shut her eyes and prayed that these torn feelings she was feeling would just pick a side and go away. It was no use.

"Jesse—"

"Wait, let me say something first before you walk out of my life forever." he interrupted. He thought for a few seconds before continuing. "As I walked away from you in the parking lot that day, I knew I had just committed the greatest mistake of my life. You have no idea how much I wanted to turn back and ask for forgiveness but I knew that what I had done did not deserve it. So I ran. I ran here and hoped that I could forget about you because that's what everyone told me that I had to do. But it was impossible. It turned out that no matter how hard I tried, I could never get the look on your face when I hurt you out of my mind. You haunted me, Rachel."

"Jesse—"

"No, let me finish." He interrupted again. "I wanted to call you but I was scared. Do you know that you are the only girl who has ever scared me that way? That in itself scares me! I never knew I could feel this much!"

He paused and reached over to touch her face, comforted by the fact that she didn't pull back.

"The truth is, I really want to be with you, Rachel. But I know it's too late because you said so back there. I could stand here forever telling you how much I'm sorry even though it won't do any good. But it doesn't change the fact that I am. So, for what it's worth, I'm so sorry."

Rachel was speechless. Jesse didn't seem the type to pour out his soul to anyone, much less a girl. She wanted so much to believe him, but she needed more time to gather her thoughts. Jesse watched her as she formulated her words.

"You really hurt me, Jesse." she said softly.

He looked down and nodded, expecting more rejection.

"I think we need to talk more about this in a more comfortable setting. Some place where we can be alone?"

Jesse's face shot up in surprise.

"Now?" he asked quickly.

Rachel smiled weakly.

"I think we need to both sleep on it. So much happened so fast today that we just need to go home and think it all over. But if there is anything that I'm sure of now, it's that I'm not ready to let you go. Not yet." she said as she looked him in the eyes.

He nodded again and sighed with relief.

"I understand. So, tomorrow?" he asked.

Rachel bit her lip.

"I'm kind of going to a Taylor Swift concert tomorrow night. I won a contest and I'm meeting her tomorrow too. That's why Kurt and I are here in LA now." she said, gesturing towards Kurt who waved at Jesse without smiling.

Jesse waved back and then smiled at Rachel.

"_Taylor Swift_. Of course. She's totally nice by the way. I just met her."

Rachel smiled up at him.

"There go those sparks flying…" he said softly.

She was starting to feel butterflies in her stomach again. This was happening so quickly. She knew that she had to get back to her hotel and think before she let her feelings overcome her.

"What are you doing the day after?" she asked.

"Seeing you, I hope." He replied.

"Okay." she said. "Give me your phone. I still have your number."

Jesse's face lit up. He dug into his shoulder bag and handed her his phone. She programmed her new phone number into his phone and handed it back.

"I know just the place we can go to talk. I'll call you to find out where you're staying and I'll pick you up." said Jesse.

"Sounds good." she replied.

"Well I guess I'll see you then. I'll call you." He said, taking a step back and turning away.

"Hold on!" Rachel said before he could go.

He turned to face her again.

"Where's your rose?" she said smiling and pointing to the one on her dress and folding her arms.

"Oh yeah!" he remembered. He went into his bag again, but didn't pull out a clip on rose like he had given her to wear. Instead, he pulled out a long stem red rose and handed it to her.

"This is for you, _Abigail_._" _He said, winking.

She felt her face get hot as her cheeks reddened. He stepped back again to leave, but before he did, he looked at her and said,

"It was enchanting to meet you… again."


	13. 13

**A/N: Had to post this today because it's the 13****th. ****13****th**** chapter on the 13****th****. It may also be someone's lucky number. That's why I named the chapter 13. It's dedicated to her. So hopefully the number 13 is with me and this stays up because the chapter wouldn't be the same if I edited out her name. I really hope you guys like it.**

It was incredibly difficult for Rachel to get to sleep that night. She laid in bed thinking of what had just happened after Jesse's show. Closing her eyes, she tried to relive every memory of the night that she could recall. Her mind's eye retraced the many looks on his face as he spoke to her. Every detail reanimated in her mind. From the hurt in his eyes when he said he was sorry, to the curl on his lips when he said goodbye; she could see it all again. Throughout the year, she spent some nights trying to recall his smile when things were good between them. None of them ever did the real thing any justice.

When she got back to her hotel earlier with Kurt, they spent a few hours discussing what had happened. Judging by Kurt's straight face when he greeted Jesse after the show, she expected him to disapprove of her talking to Jesse again. But when the door shut and Kurt threw down his fedora, he shouted: "That was probably the most romantic thing that I have ever had the fortune to witness. Please tell me you gave him your real number and didn't just say all of that to get him off your back!"

As if to answer his question, Rachel's phone vibrated in her purse. She pulled it out and showed Kurt the text that she had just received from Jesse. It said,

"Enjoy Taylor Swift tomorrow. Don't interrupt her when she sings Back to December though!"

Kurt laughed.

"Yeah, you better not."

Rachel stuck her tongue out at him.

"Why were you so cold to him back there?" she asked him curiously.

"I had to keep my poker face on so he knew I had your back. But if you really want to give him a second chance then I support that. Just be sure okay?" he asked, sitting down on a chair in the suite living room area.

"That's why I wanted more time." she responded, "It's too big to just forgive him right then and there."

"Well, I don't envy the position you're in. I'm going to go call Blaine before calling it a night." he said.

Rachel turned over to look out at the full moon when the doubts started coming in. Supposing she forgave Jesse and they decided to get back together, how could they last while he was in California and she in Ohio? How could she be so sure that he was faithful? College isn't exactly the center for moral decision making. After what Finn had done to her with Santana, she wasn't sure she was ready to put her faith in a guy. As a matter of fact, she wasn't sure whether she believed in true love anymore. Just when things seem to be going right and you have your fairytale moment, things come crashing down. Things had already come crashing down once with Jesse. Who's to say it won't happen again?

She rolled over again and pulled up her Speak Now throw blanket she had been given when she arrived. It reminded her about the concert tomorrow. It hit her that she was actually meeting the star of the entire show after the concert. This was enough to help her drift off to sleep happily.

Throughout the rest of the next day, Rachel and Kurt discussed what songs they hoped would be performed that night. Kurt wanted more new songs, while Rachel was more in favor of the first album tracks. Rachel dressed herself in a lavender sundress and brown cowboy boots just for the occasion. Kurt once again styled Rachel's hair in curls like she had for the night at the club. They wore the lanyards with the backstage pass that said, "Contest Winner" around their necks.

The venue was totally packed with fans of all ages. There were cute four year olds dressed in sparkly dresses and cowboy boots who could barely sing the chorus to her hit songs. In contrast, there were also adult fans there in their forties who knew every word to every song. It was truly a gathering of all generations brought together by their love for a Taylor.

After their tickets were scanned, a representative from the record label stopped them at the gate.

"Congratulations on winning the contest, I'm Mike, and I just want to remind you of what's happening today."

He pulled them aside to a less crowded space so they could hear the details in private.

"Alright, first off, we're upgrading your tickets from front row to the pit. You'll be in the center of all the action on the side of the stage. You guys will love it. Here are your wrist bands." He said, holding out two green bracelets.

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much!" said Rachel in delight.

"No problem! Okay, next thing is after the show I want you guys to meet up at the sound booth where you'll find a blonde woman named Paula. She will take you backstage to the T-Party. While you're there you can play games, eat snacks, and have your meet and greet. Sound good?" he said really fast.

"Are you kidding? That sounds great!" she replied.

"Okay, have fun guys! The show is about to start soon!" he said before running off.

Kurt grabbed Rachel's hand and they ran into the orchestra section of the venue. The view from the back of the floor alone was enough, but their seats were so close up that it made those seats look miles away. They reached a few guards near the catwalk of the stage and showed them their wristbands. When they were allowed into the section of the pit, they leaned against the left side of the catwalk in anticipation. Music was playing to get the fans in the arena pumped up. Kurt and Rachel danced together in excitement right up until the lights suddenly shut off. They were met with a deafening roar from the crowd. They immediately joined the crowd in screaming, anticipating the show to start. Rachel swore to herself that someday she would have a crowd this big screaming this loud for her.

The band started the instrumentals to "The Story of Us" as the curtain began to rise. The screaming tripled when Taylor took the stage. Rachel needed to have this kind of experience for herself someday. Being in the crowd inspired her to keep pushing herself for her dreams. This will be hers someday. She was certain of it.

Rachel and Kurt (as well as everyone else in the arena) were singing along loud and proud.

_**Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room  
And we're not speaking  
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like its killing me, yeah  
I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down  
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now  
Next chapter!**_

The set list of the show included tracks from all three record breaking albums. Many of the songs that were performed were songs that Rachel had sung with the Glee club, or with Jesse. Every time a song was played that she had experienced, she remembered singing it. Somehow, this made her attachment to the songs grow.

_**Our song is the slamming screen doors,  
Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window  
When we're on the phone and you talk real slow  
'cause it's late and your mama don't know  
Our song is the way you laugh  
The first date "man, I didn't kiss her, and I should have"  
And when I got home ... before I said amen  
Asking God if he could play it again**_

She remembered singing this along with Quinn, Kurt, and the rest of the girls when she first introduced the Taylor Swift theme for Nationals. It was one of those rare moments when she felt unified with the club. Singing along to the song with Kurt made their friendship grow even stronger.

_**She's not a saint, and she's not what you think  
She's an actress, whoa  
But she's better known for the things that she does on the mattress  
Whoa  
Soon she's gonna find stealing other peoples' toys on the playground won't make you many friends  
She should keep in mind  
She should keep in mind  
There is nothing I do better than revenge**_

She was taken back to what Finn had done, and how much she wanted to hurt Santana when she saw her in the choir room that day. Their fight was the last thing from her that the rest of New Directions had seen. At least they knew now that she wouldn't let herself get pushed around.

"Oh my God, remember when you ripped out Santana's extensions?" Kurt shouted to her over the music.

They both laughed hysterically over it. It was good to laugh over something that hurt her so much before.

_**You should've said no, you should've gone home  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me...  
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind  
I shouldn't be asking myself why  
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me**_

Rachel sang along to this song with such passion because it took her back to the time that she sang it to Finn. This was the first time that she had seen Finn's face in her mind since the start of the trip. Somehow, it didn't cause her any pain. She cheered at the end of the song, totally ecstatic that she was finally over Finn. It may get harder when she returns to Ohio and to Glee Club rehearsals, but right now she felt better than she had felt in a long time. It was as if the music and the experience were like medicine… She felt a true healing.

_**Someday I'll be living in a big ole city  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean  
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean  
Why you gotta be so mean?**_

This was Kurt's song completely. He danced to this song more than he did to any other (which is saying something). Rachel knew that the song meant a lot to him because of all of the bullying he had experienced recently. It looked as though this song was one of his new survival anthems.

_**Drop everything now  
Meet me in the pouring rain  
Kiss me on the sidewalk  
Take away the pain  
Cause I see sparks fly  
Whenever you smile  
Get me with those green eyes baby  
As the lights go down  
Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around  
Cause I see sparks fly  
Whenever you smile**_

Sparks Fly brought her to the present. Just a few days back when she arrived in Los Angeles and unknowingly met Jesse again. Their duet together of this song was one of the most magical experiences of her life. Everything about that night was so right. It reminded her that she would be meeting up with him again tomorrow to have a full discussion about their relationship. She did her best to stop thinking about him so that she could enjoy the rest of the show, but every love song that got played made her see his face. However, Jesse's face in the back of her mind didn't prevent her from having one of the best times of her life. Taylor walked down the catwalk and touched her hand for a second before walking backstage. It served as a reminder that the best part of the night was still to come.

When the concert was done, Rachel and Kurt danced around for a bit in the fallen confetti and then ran over to the sound booth where they were told to wait. After a few minutes a blonde woman, just as Mike had described walked up to them and congratulated them on the contest win. She repeated what was going to happen at the T-Party just in case Mike hadn't fully explained it. This time she added something that Mike forgot to include.

"Usually we pick out ten to fifteen fans from the crowd for this, but tonight it's only you two going back there. This way you'll have some good one on one time with her. Okay, are you ready to head over?" she asked.

They followed her back to the stage and off to the back. Rachel paused at the top of the stage and looked out at the slowly emptying arena. This will all be hers someday. There was not a single doubt in her mind.

The T-Party room was decorated similar to the way it had been decorated in previous tours. Kurt had googled what the room was like at the hotel and had shown Rachel pictures. The room appeared to look like the inside of a magical tent, with long burnt orange curtains over the walls. In the center of the room was an array of comfortable couches that faced a large flat screen television. The couches were decorated with fan-made blankets and pillows that were collected on the many tour stops Taylor had passed through. Scented candles burned all around the room to give it a very homey feel. On the sides of the room was a foosball table able a refreshment table.

Rachel and Kurt grabbed water bottles to help them get their voices back. They had nearly lost them with all the screaming they had just done at the show. They drank their waters on the couch and scanned various scrap books from fans all over the world. There were tons of stories of how much Taylor's music had changed their lives. A few of them actually made Rachel tear up. She had just set the book down when footsteps echoed down the hall.

"Is it…" asked Kurt.

The both turned around to see an extremely tall blonde young woman standing in the entrance of the room. Her eyes were perfectly made up with her signature black cat eye liner, and her lips were bright red. She was wearing a pink sundress with a white trim along the bottom and the sleeves. The dress reached the middle of her thighs on her very long legs. Her hair was pulled to the side in a blonde curly braid that fell onto her left shoulder. Although she was tall enough, she completed her look with four inch heels. When Rachel stood to greet her, she looked like a dwarf in comparison.

"Hi, I'm Taylor." said the star, waving innocently.

"_We know_" said Kurt and Rachel in awe.

She immediately pulled the two of them into the best hugs they had ever had. Rachel was surprised by her friendliness to people she had never met.

"You must be Rachel!" she said.

"Yes, and this is my best friend Kurt." said Rachel, gesturing towards Kurt.

Kurt smiled wide when Rachel referred to him as her best friend.

"We're such big fans, you have no idea." he said.

"That's awesome." She said, before gesturing for them to join her on the couch.

"So where are ya'll from?" she asked.

"Lima, Ohio." Rachel replied.

"I love Ohio. We always get a great crowd in the audience whenever we have a show there." she said.

"Our Glee Club is performing a set of your songs for our Nationals competition. We're all fans."

Taylor's jaw dropped.

"Really? That's so cool! I just came from a show that was centered around my songs last night. It's such a cool experience to watch others sing your songs."

Rachel bit her lip.

"We were there." said Kurt.

"Wasn't it good?" she asked him.

Rachel sighed.

"Do you remember during Back to December when that girl stood up in the middle of the show and sang "Apologize"?" Rachel asked.

She nodded. "That was kind of …confusing."

"That was me." said Rachel.

Rachel shut her eyes, expecting to be told off for ruining her song. But when she opened them, the country star only smiled at her.

"You're really talented. But why did you do that?" she asked.

"Thanks. It's just… I know that guy. Jesse. We hadn't seen each other all year since he broke my heart."

Taylor's face got more serious as she listened closely.

"He wants me to forgive him and take him back, but I don't know if I can. I just got out of a relationship where I was cheated on and I don't know if I can trust a guy again."

"Been there. Many times. Many, many, MANY times." said Taylor.

"In fact, I don't know if I even believe in love anymore. How do you do it? You write songs about the worst kind of heart break, and then you fall in love again. I don't know how you can do that." said Rachel.

Taylor reached out and grabbed Rachel's hand.

"Trust me, there are times when I doubt it too. It's hard to have hope that you'll find the one after you get your heart shattered so many times. But no matter what, you have to believe in it." she said.

"You are so right." said Kurt.

"This guy, Jesse was it?"

"Yes." replied Rachel.

"When I wrote that song, I had just realized one of the biggest mistakes I made in letting someone go. By the time I released the song, it was too late to get him back. I could tell from my seat in the balcony that he was singing that song for you. The look on his face as he sang to you was _so_ genuine. Rachel, I don't know him or your situation very well, and I'm not one to give out advice… but think about giving him a shot." she said seriously.

Rachel nodded tearfully and Taylor pulled her into another hug.

"Thank you so much. Your music has been there for me through the good and the bad times since I became a fan. It's almost like I have this long lost sister who has gone through the same things I have. It's like you understand me and you don't even know me."

Taylor put her hand on her heart, while keeping the other on Rachel's.

"That means so much to me that my music has had such an impact on you."

"It's not just me." replied Rachel, "Your music has touched Kurt too."

"Yeah, I get bullied at school for being gay. But songs like 'Tell Me Why' and 'Mean' help me survive." said Kurt.

"You are so strong, Kurt." she said. "I admire you so much and I hope that those jerks can wake up and realize that there's nothing wrong with you. You don't deserve any of that."

Kurt wiped away a tear.

"Thank you. That means so much to me." he said.

"Hey Taylor, can I ask you for a favor?" Rachel asked.

"Sure."

"It's one of my dreams to sing a duet with you. I know you must be tired out from performing, but can we sing something together really quickly?"

"Yeah sure, I'll get my guitar." she replied before reaching over for her signature sparkly acoustic guitar. "What do you want to sing?"

"I know it's so overdone, but can we do Love Story?" she asked.

"You got it." she replied.

She started strumming the chords to Love Story to get the song started. When it came time to sing the verse, Taylor sang.

_We were both young, when I first saw you.  
I close my eyes and the flashback starts-  
I'm standing there, on a balcony in summer air._

**I see the lights; see the party, the ball gowns.  
I see you make your way through the crowd-  
You say hello, little did I know...**

_That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles-  
_**And my daddy said "stay away from Juliet"-**  
_And I was crying on the staircase-  
begging you, "Please don't go..."_  
_And I said..._

**Romeo take me somewhere, we can be alone.  
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.  
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess,  
It's a love story, baby, just say yes.**

_So I sneak out to the garden to see you.  
We keep quiet, because we're dead if they knew-  
So close your eyes... escape this town for a little while.  
__**Oh, Oh.**_

**Cause you were Romeo - I was a scarlet letter,  
**And my daddy said "stay away from Juliet" -  
_**but you were everything to me-  
I was begging you, "Please don't go"  
**_**And I said...**

By this point, Kurt joined in to sing with them.

_**Romeo take me somewhere, we can be alone.  
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.  
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess.  
It's a love story, baby, just say yes-  
**_  
_Romeo save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel.  
_**This love is difficult, but it's real.**  
_Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess._  
_**It's a love story, baby, just say yes.**_  
_Oh, Oh._

Rachel and Kurt danced together while Taylor played the guitar for them laughing.

_I got tired of waiting._  
_Wondering if you were ever coming around.  
My faith in you was fading-  
When I met you on the outskirts of town.  
_**And I said...**

**Romeo save me, I've been feeling so alone.  
I keep waiting, for you but you never come.  
Is this in my head, I don't know what to think**-  
_**He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said...  
**_  
_**Marry me Juliet, you'll never have to be alone.  
I love you, and that's all I really know.  
I talked to your dad - go pick out a white dress  
It's a love story, baby just say... yes.**_

_**Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh.  
**_  
_'cause we were both young when I first saw you._

Taylor put down her guitar and pulled Rachel and Kurt into two more hugs.

"Thank you so much for singing with me!" she said with a smile.

"Thank you for letting us sing with you!" said Rachel.

They laughed together and sat on the couch again.

"Oh hey, do you guys want to take any pictures?" she asked them.

She didn't have to ask twice. Rachel pulled out her camera, and Taylor took it from her. She put her arm around Rachel and took a picture of them together. They took a few more fun shots together (making funny faces and doing a hand heart together) before she pulled Kurt in for pictures. Her mom came over and took a few group pictures together of the three of them. When they were done taking pictures, she signed a few autographs for them.

"I….love… Rachel…." she said outloud as she wrote what it on her tour book before signing her name. She grabbed Kurt's and wrote "Kurt is totally awesome" before signing her name.

"I wish I can stay and chat more with you guys but we have to get going. We're flying back to Nashville tonight." she said to them.

"Okay, it was so great meeting you. It's seriously a dream come true." said Kurt.

"Thank you so much for everything." said Rachel tearfully.

They hugged again.

"Stay strong, Kurt." she said to him before turning to Rachel and putting her hands on Rachel's shoulders.

"Never stop believing in love, Rachel." she said before slipping one of her bracelets onto Rachel's hand.

"Good luck at Nationals guys! I hope ya'll win!" she said as she started to leave.

"Thanks!" said Rachel and Kurt in unison.

"Love you guys!" she said before leaving.

Kurt looked over at Rachel.

"Did that just happen?" he asked.

Rachel immediately started crying. Her healing process was finally complete, and it was all thanks to that extremely tall guitar playing blonde named Taylor Swift.


	14. Two Is Better Than One

"Really Rachel, did that really happen last night? Did I imagining it?" Kurt asked as he sprinkled Splenda on his grapefruit for breakfast the next morning.

"I'm in as much shock as you are." Rachel said as she picked at her fruit salad with her fork.

She glanced down at the bright pink beaded bracelet that dangled on her left hand. It had little gold stars between pink beads that were definitely something Rachel would pick out for herself. However Rachel didn't pick this bracelet out herself. It was given to her by Taylor Swift at her meet and greet last night. It was a symbol of the amazing night she had and the advice that Taylor had given her. At that moment, she swore to herself that she would never take it off.

"She was so tall!" Kurt marveled.

Rachel laughed.

"I probably looked like a munchkin from The Wizard of Oz in comparison." she joked.

They continued their breakfast together in the hotel dining room for the next half hour. They occasionally discussed their favorite moments from the night before, including songs performed, and words said in their meet and greet. Kurt was left in such a positive mood that he couldn't wait to get back to school and face anybody who tried to hurt him. Rachel was glad that she had chosen Kurt to be her guest on this adventure because of the good that the trip is doing for him. She also knew that if she had chosen anyone else, she wouldn't have had half the fun she was having and would probably not have gone to the clubs and met Jesse again.

She was glad that she had met up with Jesse again. Fate seemed to think that they needed to give each other another chance. Rachel wasn't too sure how she felt about fate these days, but she was thankful that she could at least have some sort of closure with him today. She wasn't sure if she wanted to take him back because of the insecurities her history of relationships with him and Finn has left her with. All she knew was that she needed to see him today so that they can have their much needed talk together.

"So when is Jesse coming to pick you up?" Kurt asked with interest.

Rachel blushed slightly.

"Don't think I don't see you blushing there. I know you still like him and are probably dancing internally right now because you are just ever so excited to see him tonight. I know that look very well." he teased playfully.

"Sort of like the look you wore when Blaine surprised you by transferring to McKinley?" said Rachel jokingly.

"Was it that obvious?" Kurt replied more seriously.

"It was cute, trust me," said Rachel with a smile. "But anyway, Jesse said he is going to swing by this afternoon. He didn't really give me any information on where we're going but he says I'll really like it."

"Are you nervous?" Kurt asked with a concerned look.

Rachel didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"A little." she finally managed to reply.

Kurt rolled his eyes.

Honestly, Rachel felt so nervous that she could throw up. This was only her second time seeing Jesse (not including the night at the club when they didn't know who the other really was) since they broke up back in Ohio. She worried that he was going to humiliate her again with some well concocted cruel plan. Even if he appears to be honest in what he says, she doesn't know if she will ever be able to trust him. But she wanted to.

"What are you going to spend your day doing?" Rachel asked curiously.

"I figure I could browse around for some LA fashion. I need to pick up some souvenirs for everyone too. I'm pretty sure my Dad wouldn't enjoy getting a Taylor Swift concert T-shirt" he said.

"Sorry I have to leave you alone to go shopping." Rachel said.

"No don't worry about it. You have to have your time with Jesse to sort things out. Just promise you'll tell me what you two decide when you come back." replied Kurt in understanding.

"Trust me, you'll be the only one I tell," she assured him. "Thanks for being the best friend I could have ever asked for. It means a lot to me that I have you here with me."

Kurt looked up at her and put his hand on hers.

"That's touching. I'm really glad that we're friends, Rachel. I must admit that you irritated me to no end at first, but I've realized that we're the same. We're just two divas who know what we want in life and everyone else can just screw themselves." said Kurt lightly.

"It's going to be weird going back to McKinley after this. Santana will probably have the football team throw me into the garbage every day after what I did to her." said Rachel with a hint of fear in her voice.

"Let's try not to think about it. But Rachel, no matter what happens, I have your back." he assured her with a smile.

A gentle breeze rippled the fabric on Rachel's light blue and white polka dot sundress as she stood at the front entrance to her hotel. She nervously gripped at her shoulder strap of her purse on her shoulder. Pacing back and forth, she looked up for a sign of Jesse's arrival. She nervously put her hair up into a ponytail, but took it down when she glanced at her reflection in the glass doors. She hated that she didn't know the full details of their date. "Was it really a date?" she thought to herself. Before she could answer, she saw a familiar figure hovering next to a shiny black car. A smile immediately covered her face as she walked over to him.

He leaned against his car coolly as he smiled up at her. Today, he was without his black jacket. Instead, he wore a light plaid button up shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The light breeze made his gentle wavy hair shift slightly into his face. He stepped over to Rachel and pulled her into a tight embrace before she had a chance to say anything. Rachel couldn't believe how incredibly good it felt to be this close to him again. When they broke their hug, she looked up at him smiling and noticed that he was slightly blushing. He noticed the same in her.

"Are you ready?" he asked her.

"Ready as I'll ever by." she replied honestly.

"Then, after you." he smiled.

He opened the passenger side door to his car for Rachel to sit inside. She smiled up at him as he walked around his car and sat in the driver's seat. After a mutual awkward silence, he started the car and drove off. There wasn't much small talk during the drive because both of them were too nervous. Jesse occasionally pointed out his favorite spots and she occasionally commented on how pretty the sights were, but that's as far as the conversation went. Slowly, the buildings and businesses thinned out and palm trees replaced them. Rachel could smell salt in the air.

"Are we going to the beach?" she asked him in excitement.

"Aw now, you went and spoiled the surprise." he replied as he pulled his car into the lot.

Jesse once again walked around his car and held the door open for Rachel.

"You're really trying to push this chivalrous guy image aren't you?" asked Rachel with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm treating you how you deserve to be treated, Rachel. I messed up last time and I'm not screwing this up again." he responded as he rummaged in his trunk for something. He pulled out a picnic basket and a red blanket that was prepared in advance. Lastly, he pulled out an acoustic guitar.

"What's that for?" she asked curiously.

"It's for the off chance that we can't express our feelings to each other through spoken words. This way, we can just sing to each other if we need to. Any nearby people can just have a free show." he replied with a smile.

"Because, it's important to give back!' she laughed as she remembered him saying that when they first met.

This was what she loved about Jesse. He was the only person other than her who she knew would do something like that. He really understood her. He grabbed her hand as he led her down to the warm sand. Rachel removed her shoes so that she could feel the sand between her toes.

"I haven't been to a beach since my fathers took me to Disney World when I was five," she said. "This is really nice, Jesse."

He smiled silently and laid the blanket down onto the sand when they reached a good distance near the water. Rachel sat down immediately, but left her feet in the sand so that she could dig her toes inside. She adored the feeling.

"I have some salads and fruit tarts for dessert. I hope you like sparkling cider." he said as he poured a glass.

"I love it. Thank you." she replied as she took the glass.

They paused for a few seconds to absorb the moment. Jesse seemed to have been in a trance staring out at the sea. He seemed to have woken up from it when Rachel spoke.

"So… let's talk then." Rachel said, finally breaking the silence.

Jesse moved closer to her but still looked away.

"Do you want to know why this is my favorite spot?" he asked her.

"Why?" she asked softly.

"The day that I moved here, I drove around for a few hours before I went to my new apartment. I thought that moving here would make me forget about you, but everywhere I go- there you are. I see your eyes shining in the lights. I see your smile in the stars all over Hollywood. There was just no escaping you. So I was driving around, still unable to forget you or what I did to you, and I got lost. Then, I found this place." he said without taking his eyes off of the ocean.

"It's really lovely." said Rachel.

"I finally felt peace. I hadn't forgotten about you, but I felt better. It's funny because this place reminds me of you more than everything else. But somehow, it comforts me. I think it's because it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I hadn't seen anything as gorgeous since you. On days like these, it makes me feel calm, like the way I always felt comfortable with you." he continued, still not looking at Rachel.

She was starting to feel a mixture of nerves, fear, and yearning. She edged herself closer so that the two were so close that if he were to look into her eyes, he'd see his own reflection.

"I fell in love with this place. It was the second time in my life that I have ever fallen in love. You were number one," He said, finally looking into her eyes. "You'll always be number one."

Rachel broke their mutual gaze and looked away at the water. It was her turn to avoid his eye.

"That's sweet," she said. "What exactly do you want us to be?"

"Whatever you want us to be." he replied.

"But how can I trust you again?" she asked sadly.

Jesse grabbed her hand.

"I'm going to be totally honest with you," he said "Shelby sent me to find you and befriend you so I can get you to seek her out. She wanted to have a relationship with you, but couldn't initiate the contact. So initially, you were just an acting exercise to me. However, from the very first day I knew I was dealing with someone special. I fell for you instantly. It was your vulnerability, your passion, the way you look like a hurt puppy when you're sad, that cute scrunched up face you make when you really get into a song… I could go on forever."

Rachel laughed.

"You know, Mister Schuester said that one day I'd meet a guy who would love me and all those flaws you just listed—"

"I love those qualities about you most of all." he interrupted.

Rachel felt butterflies dancing in her stomach. Mister Schuester told her last year that someday she'd find a guy who would love her and her flaws, and that he'll love those flaws most of all. This was the guy Mister Schuester was talking about! She felt a little bit of hope trickling through her body.

"With the Run Joey Run thing, and Finn breathing down our necks I got really jealous. It was the first time that I was ever really jealous of someone since Bryan Jacobs got to be the prince in our kindergarten class play of Cinderella." he said, his eye slightly twitching. "So you see Rachel, I wasn't used to all these feelings. It scared the crap out of me."

She nodded in understanding. She could totally see where he was coming from.

"When I went on spring break with the rest of my team, they told me all these things about how I was getting weak and would never get anywhere if I fell in love with someone like you. Then Shelby told me that you went to her and said that you hated me and that I was nothing to you and that I could never measure up to Finn—"

"WHAT?" Rachel interrupted him.

"I don't want to say it again. It hurt too much the first time." he said sadly.

"I heard you loud and clear. Jesse, I NEVER said that. She told me that a mother- daughter relationship wouldn't work out between us and walked out of my life as quickly as she walked into it." she said in rage.

He looked at her in total confusion.

"I don't understand…" he whispered.

"Did you tell Shelby anything before she told you that? Anything at all that would get her to lie to you like that?" asked Rachel desperately.

Jesse thought for a moment before looking up and shouting, "Damnit!"

"What is it?" she asked.

"I told her I didn't want to transfer back to Carmel High. I guess I forgot about that after she told me what you said."

"But I didn't say it, Jesse!"

Jesse looked into her eyes for a second.

"I believe you." he told her.

"I guess she would've said anything to get her star back to her team." said Rachel.

"That's so Shelby. She'd do anything to win. I feel stupid for not seeing it coming."

Rachel hugged him and then rested her head on his shoulder. He looked down at her and put his arm around her in appreciation.

"Jesse, let's start over." she whispered as they both looked out into the ocean.

He shook his head.

"I don't want to start over. We shouldn't forget what we've been through to get to this point. I don't want to just forget about our first meeting and all we've felt about each other," he said. "I… You know Rachel, I need to stop all of this talking and just sing about it. It's the only way I'll ever get across what I truly feel inside."

Rachel was filled with excitement as she straightened up to listen to the song he wanted to sing to her. He grabbed the guitar that he had pulled from his car previously and started picking the opening tune to "Two Is Better than One" by Boys Like Girls featuring Taylor Swift.

"This is a duet, so if you know the song, feel free to join in." he told her before starting to sing.

_I remember what you wore on the first day  
You came into my life and I thought  
"Hey, you know, this could be something"_

_'Cause everything you do and words you say  
You know that it all takes my breath away  
And now I'm left with nothing_

Rachel joined in with him on the chorus. They looked into each other's eyes as they sang.

_**So maybe it's true  
That I can't live without you  
Maybe two is better than one  
There's so much time**_  
_**To figure out the rest of my life  
And you've already got me coming undone  
And I'm thinking two is better than one**_

**I remember every look upon your face  
**_The way you roll your eyes  
The way you taste  
You make it hard for breathing_

**'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away  
I think of you and everything's okay  
I'm finally now believing  
**  
_**That maybe it's true  
That I can't live without you  
Maybe two is better than one  
There's so much time  
To figure out the rest of my life  
And you've already got me coming undone  
And I'm thinking two is better than one  
**_  
_I remember what you wore on the first day  
You came into my life and I thought, "Hey,"_

_**maybe it's true  
That I can't live without you  
Maybe two is better than one  
There's so much time  
To figure out the rest of my life  
And you've already got me coming undone**_

_And I'm thinking_  
_**I can't live without you  
'Cause, baby, two is better than one  
There's so much time  
To figure out the rest of my life  
But I've figured out  
When all is said and done  
Two is better than one  
Two is better than one  
**_

As they finished the song, they stayed looking into each other's eyes. They were both in awe of the power that music had on people like them. People like them were created for each other. They felt so much closer than they had ever felt before.

Jesse put his guitar down without losing eye contact with Rachel. He hesitated for a second and took a deep breath. She inched herself closer and gazed up at him with desire to signal to him that she wanted it. He touched her warm skin on her face with one hand to pull it to his for the kiss that they had both been dreaming of since they parted ways last year. Her sweet and loving kiss melted together with his slow and passionate one. They broke apart and she resumed her position leaning on his shoulder. He put his arm around her again. They didn't know what was going to happen to them when she went back to Ohio. But right now, neither of them cared.

**A/N: And that folks, is my attempt to salvage the brutally mangled story of Jesse St. James. It really felt like something was missing from the show before the egging. He went from loving her and them being okay to feeling hurt and angry. It made no sense. (Part of me wonders if the writers got worried that fans started shipping St. Berry too much over Finchel so they had to ruin him. Ah, well. St. Berry forever.**

**Update: To answer the comments i've been getting, this isn't the last chapter. There is still the return to Ohio, a bit more drama, and of course Nationals :)  
**


	15. Taking A Stand

**A/N: Thanks to MissRe for letting me know about the typo!

* * *

**

The flight back to Ohio was a long one. Rachel and Kurt once again sat in first class, but they couldn't fully enjoy it because they were so sad to leave California. Rachel was more upset that they were leaving because she had just reconciled with Jesse. It wasn't fair to be pulled thousands of miles away from him so soon. Closing her eyes, she replayed saying goodbye to him a few hours ago at the airport in her mind.

"_Don't look at me like that, Rach." he said as he pulled her close to him. _

"_It's not fair." she muttered._

_Holding her tight, he ran his hands from the back of her head, down to the small of her back. She hooked her chin into the crook of his neck as she wrapped her arms around his back. She looked good in his black jean jacket that he gave her to wear it in the over air conditioned terminal. _

"_We would've dealt with this if we hadn't broken up in the first place. I was still going to go to UCLA, and you know that." he said quietly._

"_I know…"_

"_I'll be done with school in time to go see you at Nationals. I'll be in the front row cheering you on the whole time." he assured her._

"_Promise?"_

_Looking into those large pleading brown eyes warmed his heart. He couldn't help but smile as he held her._

"_I promise."_

"_Rachel, we have to go…" reminded Kurt._

_She looked back at Jesse even more crushed. He bent down and kissed her forehead, then her nose, until he finally reached her lips. They lingered there for a few seconds with their lips just barely touching. Their eyes were connected like magnets and the two of them dreaded breaking the bond. Holding onto her face, he stared at her for a few seconds and then closed his eyes._

"_Okay," he whispered before opening his eyes again. "Now that I have the image of the last time I've seen you burnt into my mind for me to hold onto until I see you again, you can go."_

_Their breathing and heartbeat quickened before they both pulled each other closer to have their last kiss. _

"_Okay," she whispered after they broke apart. "Now that I have the memory of the last time I've kissed you burnt into my mind for me to hold onto until I see you again, I can go."_

_She backed away from him and let go of his hands. _

"_Oh, your jacket!" she remembered._

"_Keep it." he said with a smile. "You look adorable in it, and it'll make Finn go mad. It's a double win."_

"_Until next time." she said with a grin as she turned away and walked with Kurt._

"_RACHEL!" she heard Jesse call back._

_Turning back, she glanced at his face one last time. Many other travelers in her area also turned to look at the two of them in curiosity. _

"_I love you!" he professed loudly with a huge smile._

_Despite the fact that time was running out to catch their flight, Rachel ran back to Jesse and into his arms for another kiss. When they broke their embrace, she grabbed his face._

"_I love you too."_

As the plane was touching down in Ohio, Rachel prayed that their time apart was a short one. She was thankful that she had Nationals rehearsal to keep her busy for the next few months. With the music selection they had, and the heart that the group possessed, there was no way that they could lose.

* * *

The next day was the first day back to school for Rachel and Kurt. They would have a lot of catching up to do for Glee Club rehearsals, but they were sure that they would have little to no trouble catching up. As they walked down the hallway together, Kurt saw Blaine standing by his locker and turned beet red.

"Have a good trip?" he asked him.

"It was amazing."

He was about to go into further detail when he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Mercedes browsing her own locker ten feet away.

"Hey Blaine, I'll tell you all about it later French class later. I hope you've been studying because there is so much I have to tell you about."

"Can't wait!" Blaine smiled.

"Mercedes!" he shouted as he ran to her and tackled her with the biggest hug. "How have you been?"

As they walked away talking, Rachel told Blaine to have a nice day and moved on to her locker. There was a smile on her face that could not fade away for the life of her (not that she wanted it to). Humming "Fearless", she grabbed the last of her books she needed for her next two classes and shut her locker.

"Nice jacket." said the voice of Finn Hudson behind her.

"Good morning, Finn." she responded with her best show face.

"Where'd you get it? It looks familiar." he asked.

"My boyfriend gave it to me." she said with a grin.

"You're moving pretty fast, don't you think?"

She giggled at the obvious jealousy that was in his voice.

"What's so funny?"

"It's not really that new. It was something that was bound to happen from the beginning. I'm back together with Jesse now, and I've never been happier."

Finn suddenly slammed his fist into her locker. He wore a look of total betrayal.

"I can't believe you would do that to me, Rachel. Him of all people? After what he did to you? Is your self esteem that low?" he shouted at her.

She once again let out a laugh that she couldn't stifle.

"Okay first Finn, I didn't do anything to you. You cheated on me to be with Santana, and you know what? I'm not even hurt by that anymore because now I realize that it was just never meant to be between the two of us."

"But Rach—"

"And second, I love Jesse. I've always loved Jesse. He understands every part of me and shares my passions. He made a mistake before, but I've forgiven him. I don't have a low self esteem, in fact I feel better about myself with him now, than I ever did with you."

"But I change my mind; I don't want to be with Santana. She's not you…" he said with a hurt puppy dog expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, Finn. I'm happy with Jesse."

"You really think you two are meant to be? The only reason he wanted you back was because you looked like a TRAMP over there." he spat bitterly.

"Is there a problem here?" Kurt asked as he put his arm around Rachel.

"No, I…"

"Finn, as your step brother, I must ask that you not call my best friend a tramp. It's rude and degrading. And leave her alone about Jesse. I saw the way he looked at her and spoke to her. Those two BELONG together. It was inevitable that they'd get back together. If it wasn't now, it would've happened ten years from now. _Deal with it_."

"Bye, Finn. I hope we can be friends someday." she said maturely as she turned away from him with Kurt.

She pulled Kurt into a hug in thanks.

"You're welcome," he smiled. "I have a favor to ask of you."

"Anything." she replied.

"Remember before we left for LA, I asked you to help me prepare a song for Mercedes?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I think we need to do that today. She's still depressed and I don't think she's been eating much. I heard that the jocks have been slushying her twice daily because of her weight. I'm making her go to Figgins about this today because I'm tired of this school's lax policy on bullying. Something must be done."

Rachel nodded sympathetically.

"I had a song prepared then, we can use it now." she said.

"Come help us? The more people we have behind us, the better."

"Let's do it."

* * *

Rachel managed to gather most of the members of New Directions to join in on Kurt's quest for a stricter bullying policy. Even Puck joined in on the group to support his friends. They stood together nervously in the school office waiting area. Kurt however, was nowhere to be seen in the group.

"Where do you think he is?" asked Mercedes nervously. "I can't do this without him."

"He'll be here." Rachel assured her.

Principal Figgins' secretary came out from his office and told them to enter.

"But, Kurt's not here…" said Artie. "Maybe we shouldn't."

"Do you want to keep getting thrown into dumpsters, Artie?" asked Rachel.

"No…"

"Let's do this then." she said with her shoulders back and head held high.

The group marched in (Puck wheeled in Artie), and stood in front of Figgins' desk with their best poker faces.

"What can I do for you children?" he asked.

"Principal Figgins, as members of the downtrodden students of McKinley High, we are here to implore, no—demand that our voices are heard. We need a zero tolerance bullying policy." said Rachel forcefully.

"Yeah, I'm tired of having to get my wheelchair replaced every month from getting wheeled down the stairs and rolled down the hill. ('My bad, man." said Puck) My insurance company can't cover all that." added Artie.

"We've all been getting 7/11 Slushies thrown in our faces almost daily since the freshman year!" said Tina.

Figgins' expression was hard to read. He simply stared at them as they spoke.

"Mercedes?" said Rachel.

She came forward.

"This month has been the worst. The football team has thrown slushies on me twice a day. It's icy and sticky, and humiliating. Everyone just laughs at me. They call me names about my weight and I don't normally care what they say. But it's starting to become too much." she said painfully.

"I'm surprised to see you here, Mr. Puckerman." was all that Figgins managed to say.

"I admit I used to be part of the problem. That was until I joined Glee club and these guys became my friends. I'm not perfect and I'm still working on managing my anger, but I'm tired of seeing these guys get pushed around. It's gotta stop now." he replied seriously.

"How mature of you, Noah." Rachel said with a smile.

"Yeah, don't rub it in." he replied.

"Ugh, where's Kurt?" asked Mercedes in frustration.

As if to answer her question, the door flew open and nearly off it's hinges. Sue Sylvester marched into the room with Kurt behind her with his arms folded fiercely. She pushed passed the rest of the group in the room and slammed a fist down on Figgins' desk.

"FIGGINS, listen here, and listen well because I'm only going to say this once. You're going to put a permanent no tolerance policy on student bullying now. Anyone who is caught throwing a punch, a kick, a slushy, a BEANIE BABY, will get the axe."

"And what about the way you shove students into lockers, Sue?" asked Figgins.

"That's discipline!" she shouted.

"The fact of the matter is, if we were to put that rule into effect, Half the football team would be expelled! Your Cheerios would have no one to cheer for if there was no team!" he shouted back.

"Threaten expulsion and they won't start fights!" she screamed.

"Why are you so keen on pushing this cause?" he asked her in total confusion.

She paused for a second, before grabbing Kurt and pushing him forward.

"Speak." she said.

"I had to transfer from this school to get away from the terror in the halls. I was literally terrified to come to school every day. Students shouldn't have to live in fear of going to their locker, or walking through the parking lot. I came back because I didn't want to run anymore and a change has to be made."

"If you don't enact the policy, then this will be all over Sue's Corner on the news tonight. You mark my words Figgins." said Sue menacingly.

"I'll put the policy into effect immediately if you do one thing, Sue." said Figgins with a smile.

"What?"

"Obey it yourself. Take it or leave it."

"I'll speak out on the news!" she yelled.

"Nobody watches the local news anymore, Sue! It won't hurt McKinley one bit!"

Sue turned around and looked at the rest of the students. They all gave her a pleading look.

"Alright." she said "And I'm not doing it for you and your Glee Club because you all know I despise your group. But I'm doing this for… Kurt and Mercedes. Two of the best Cheerios I've had, and two of the best kids here- though I'll never go on the record about it."

"Well, we have a deal then." he said as he grabbed the microphone connected to the loud speakers in the halls.

"Ahem, Attention McKinley High Students: We are now instating a zero tolerance bullying policy. If there are any reports of any form of bullying, you will be expelled. This is effective IMMEDIATELY. Thank you."

With that, all of the students in the room cheered and hugged in celebration.

"C'mon lets go celebrate in the choir room." said Kurt.

"Yeah, we have something special for you, Mercedes." added Rachel.

* * *

Kurt sat Mercedes down in the middle of the room on a chair and kissed her on the cheek.

"I know these past few months have been pretty bad for you, and Rachel and I have put together a song to dedicate to you." he said.

"I hope that you like it, Mercedes." Rachel added.

Mercedes looked at them with a nervous smile.

"Okay, I'm ready." she said.

"Puck?" asked Rachel.

He came forward with his guitar and started to play the intro to the song.

Kurt put his hand on her shoulder and started to sing.

_Seems the only one who doesn't see your beauty  
Is the face in the mirror looking back at you  
You walk around here thinking you're not pretty  
But that's not true, cause I know you...  
_

Rachel grabbed Mercedes' other hand and sang the chorus.

**Hold on, baby, you're losing it  
The water's high, you're jumping into it  
And letting go... and no one knows  
That you cry, but you don't tell anyone  
That you might not be the golden one  
**_**And you're tied together with a smile  
But you're coming undone**_

_I guess it's true that love was all you wanted  
Cause you're giving it away like it's extra change  
Hoping it will end up in his pocket  
But he leaves you out like a penny in the rain  
_**Oh, cause it's not his price to pay  
Not his price to pay...**

The rest of New Direction stood up one by one and started to sing the harmonies to the song. Kurt pulled up Mercedes, as she tried to hold back tears and started to dance with her.

_**Hold on, baby, you're losing it  
The water's high, you're jumping into it  
And letting go... and no one knows  
That you cry, but you don't tell anyone  
That you might not be the golden one**_**  
**_**And you're tied together with a smile  
But you're coming undone**_**  
**

Every member of the group took turns hugging Mercedes as they sang. Rachel grabbed her hand and smiled before giving her a hug.

**You're tied together with a smile  
But you're coming undone... oh  
**_**Goodbye, baby  
Goodbye, baby  
With a smile, baby, baby**_

"You are so beautiful." she whispered through the hug.

Mercedes stood there, wiping away her tears unable to find words to say.

"Thank you so much Kurt, Rachel, all of you. This means so much to me and I'll never forget it. Never." she said as she wiped tears from her face.

"Alright now, group hug!" shouted Puck.

When they finished their hug, Rachel walked up to Santana and tapped her on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for attacking you and ripping out your extensions," said Rachel. "I was upset about Finn and was insecure about not feeling as good as you. I know the no bullying policy is in effect but if you were to hit me I'd totally understand."

"Forgive and forget." Santana replied. "I shouldn't have taken your man anyway. I would've done the same thing."

"Thanks." Rachel smiled.

"Umm, Rachel?"

She turned and found herself looking at Finn.

"Yes?"

"I… I hope that you and Jesse are happy together." he said with a hint of sadness and regret in his voice. "And I'm sorry for what I said and everything I did to you."

"Thank you, Finn." she smiled before giving him a friendly hug.

"That's what I like to see, guys." said Mister Schuester from the doorway. "Unity. We really needed to come together and forget the past drama so we can pull through and win Nationals. Let's get to rehearsing then? Alright, from the top!"

* * *

**A/N: R&R? I have 2 more chapters and an Epilogue left, so I really hope you love it. Thanks to all those who have stuck with this story and to those just starting to read it. **


	16. I'll Never Leave You Alone

**A/N: Some time has passed and we have reached the end of the school year (Rachel's junior year). Nationals is coming!

* * *

**

As Nationals drew closer, Mister Schuester started having extra mandatory rehearsals on weekends. Not one single member had an issue with all the extra hours because they wanted the Nationals trophy that bad. It seemed as though everyone was doing their part to pitch in with the performances. Blaine worked together with Mike Chang and Brittany to choreograph brilliant dances for every song. Mister Schuester found a cheap guitar at a garage sale and Kurt added rhinestones to it for Taylor Swift's signature sparkly guitar. Puck taught Rachel how to play the guitar. Mercedes and Tina were on wardrobe duty to stitch sequins and rhinestones into the dresses for the girls to wear. Quinn and Santana organized fundraisers with the Cheerios to raise money for transportation to New York City for the competition. Even Finn did his part by organizing mini rehearsals during lunch and free periods. There was no way that they would allow their team to slack off and lose. The trophy will most certainly be theirs.

Time flew by fast and before they knew it, Nationals was only a week away. The Cheerios had successfully raised enough money to get New Directions to New York and pay for their hotels. Ms. Sylvester was kind enough to not get in the way of it either.

Rachel and Jesse managed to maintain a loving long distance relationship for the time that they had apart. However, neither would admit to the other just how much the distance was hurting them. Every time Rachel had good news, Jesse was the first person she wanted to tell. She hated having to tell him over the phone or through a webcam conversation. They spoke every night (Rachel's time) to keep their relationship going. Even with all of this, they had a fight tonight.

"I can't, Rach. I just can't anymore." he whispered through the phone.

"You're being ridiculous!" she exclaimed.

She sat on the edge of her bed holding her phone to her ear, just wishing that she didn't have to have this kind of conversation with him over the phone. It was too important to not have it face to face.

"I just don't think this is right for me… for my career."

"It's the best thing for you right now! I don't think you're seeing things clearly."

"You're just going to have to trust me." he said in trying to keep calm.

"Why are you doing this? Just tell me." she asked sadly.

"Full ride or not, UCLA isn't for me. I'm going to transfer to NYU and audition for shows like I had originally planned. The only reason why I accepted UCLA's invitation was because I had the full ride and everyone in my family went there." he explained.

"Jesse, you're not doing this because of me are you?" she asked suspiciously.

"Why would I be doing this for you?"

"I told you yesterday that I wanted to apply to NYU when it came time to send out college applications."

"While being near you is a plus, you're not my reason. I was actually thinking about this before you came back into my life. Trust me, this is what's best for me and my career." he assured her.

"So this is your last semester then?"

"Was."

"What do you mean?"

"It was my last semester. I'm done." he said simply.

She immediately jumped out of her bed at his words. She had been so caught up in rehearsals for Nationals that she failed to realize that Jesse would be coming home soon.

"When are you coming back?" she asked in excitement.

"Oh soon." he said teasingly.

"How soon?"

"Really soon." he laughed.

"When?"

"Quicker than you think."

"Jesse!"

"God Rachel, when are your dads going to get rid of that hideous gold flowery mailbox?" he asked.

"Hey! I picked it out…myself…"she muttered slowly as his words sunk in.

Her phone dropped from her hands immediately and she bolted to her window and stuck her head out. He was standing out in her drive way smiling up at her as he waved. She squealed loudly before turning and bolting out of her room and down her stairs. One of her dads was nearly knocked over in the process of her sprint out the door, but that didn't really matter right now. She sprinted across the lawn barefoot in her pajamas with her hair a mess, but that didn't matter either. All that mattered was that she was running right into the open arms of her boyfriend. She ran into him so hard, that he fell over completely and brought her down on top of him. They both laughed hysterically as they held each other on the grass.

After the laughing ceased, Rachel pushed herself up to rest her head on his chest and looked at him with a smile.

"You're really here." she said joyfully.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be." he replied.

Rachel sat up and he propped himself up on his elbows so he could stay close to her.

"Hello." he greeted with a smile.

She leaned in to greet him with a soft and sweet kiss. The second her lips touched his, he sat up fully so that he could kiss her back. His hands found her face and caressed her cheeks just like he had dreamt of doing to her during his nap on the plane ride over. This inspired her to reach her hand to touch his face as well. Caught in the moment, he grabbed her by the waist and gently pulled her over him and flat onto the grass before resuming their kiss. Breathing heavily, their legs tangled together and their kiss grew more passionate. Her hands ran through his curls as she pulled his face closer to hers. They both smiled slightly through the kiss because they were that happy to be together again.

"Rachel!" called her father, Leroy from the doorway to her house.

The sudden call from one of her fathers made Jesse jump off Rachel like a frightened cat. They both sat up and looked at the silhouette of Rachel's fathers standing in the doorway with their arms folded in anger.

"Hello, Mr and Mr Berry." Jesse greeted with a small wave.

"Inside, both of you." Hiram shouted.

They didn't need to be told twice. Jesse sprang to his feet and helped Rachel up too. There was dirt on the back of her pajama shorts and Jesse tried to rub it off of her without thinking.

One of her dads cleared his throat.

"Sorry… I wasn't… she just had some…oh God." he said nervously.

"Come on." Rachel said as she grabbed his arm and stifled a laugh.

She lead him into her home and over to a couch where they could sit for the interrogation. He reached out to grab her hand, but thought twice when he saw Leroy shoot him a dark look. Hiram turned on the ceiling light in the center of the room, while Leroy turned off all the rest.

"Really, don't you think this is a little too dramatic? Even for us?" Rachel asked as she noticed the interrogation scene they were setting up.

Her calmness helped to soothe him a little. It wasn't ever day that Jesse felt nervousness coursing through his body, especially when it came to a girl. He loved Rachel though, and she was worth whatever was about to happen.

When they took their seats opposite them, they sat in silence for a few moments.

"What are you thinking, Rachel?" asked Hiram.

"What happened to Finn?" added Leroy.

Rachel sighed.

"Don't you remember me telling you? He cheated on me with one of the cheerleaders before I went to California." she reminded them bitterly.

"When?"

"You were both busy packing for another one of your conventions. I expect you weren't paying attention."

Leroy's face fell slightly.

"I'm sorry we didn't pay attention to you, Rachel." He apologized.

"Don't feel so bad yet. We still have to sort out this mess." said Hiram.

"Jesse isn't a mess." she said quickly in his defense.

"He threw eggs at you before your competition! Nice guys don't choose that as a method to break up with their girlfriends." he snapped back.

"Mr. Berry, if I may—" Jesse began.

"No you may not." Hiram spat.

"I forgave him a long time ago when I went to California. Can you just trust my judgment?" she asked hopefully.

"You guys hooked up during your contest win?" asked Leroy.

"It was fate." Jesse said firmly.

"We ran into each other without even trying, honestly." Rachel said, smiling.

"If I would've known you'd be seeing him, I don't know if I would've allowed you to go." said Leroy. "I just don't approve of you being with someone who has broken your heart so badly. It was so hard to see you go through that."

"You weren't even here!" she snapped.

"How long have you been together?" asked Hiram.

"We got back together during the week of the contest." she muttered.

"Wait a minute…" said Jesse, sounding hurt. "You never told them?"

"I knew this would happen if I did." she responded without meeting his gaze.

Jesse's eyebrows knitted together in anger.

"Were you ever planning on telling them? I told my family the day we got back together." he said, his voice full of hurt.

She still wouldn't look him in the eye.

"Are you ashamed of having me as a boyfriend or something?" he asked angrily.

"I'm sorry." she snapped back. "I wanted to do it in person after I got them to stop hating you!"

"Didn't work, apparently." he responded as he folded his arms.

"You two are seriously over dramatic." said Leroy with a sigh.

"_I resent that!"_ they both replied simultaneously.

"You know Jesse, if you're just looking for a reason to leave then leave." she shouted emotionally as she got up from her seat.

"Rachel!" he shouted as he ran after her.

"Maybe they are meant for each other." Hiram said calmly as Rachel and Jesse ran out the door.

* * *

"Rach!" he shouted again, now waking the neighbors as he followed her across the lawn.

"Just go!"

"You're such a drama queen." he snapped before grabbing her arm and pulling her close to him.

"Just do it already." she said as she folded her arms.

"Okay, fine." he snapped back. "God Rachel, I love you. I love every part of you. Even your over dramatic meltdowns that leave you feeling insecure."

She looked up at him with her large brown tear filled eyes.

"I will _never_ leave you alone ever again." he whispered as he grabbed her face and kissed her forehead.

They both threw their arms around each other tearfully to seal the end of their fight.

"You have our approval." shouted Hiram from the doorway.

Rachel laughed slightly through her tears at her fathers words.

"I'm sorry, Jesse."

"Shhh…" he silenced her quickly before planting a soft kiss on her lips.

"No more fighting." she promised.

"That's unlikely. But lets just promise each other to be patient when the other is going through dramatic mood swings. After all, who understands what that feels like better than we do?"

"Deal." she said, smiling.

"Now off to bed, you need to start packing for New York tomorrow."

* * *

Rachel and Jesse spent their week together planning out what other things they'd do together while they were in New York. He suggested a number of Broadway shows and concerts for them to see, while she suggested they both take a tour of NYU. Kurt and Blaine came over towards the end of the week to help her pack. Jesse sat on her bed and absorbed the excitement coming from them with the upcoming competition. He wished that he could compete with her so they could feel what it's like to win something together, but this was her time to shine- and shine she will.

On the day of the flight, Jesse arrived at her door at three in the morning with two large coffees with soy milk. She was already awake and seemed to have already had at least five cups of coffee on her own. He found her excitement so adorable. She was like a freshly lit firework as she rambled on and on about their itinerary. He simply yawned and nodded as he tried to stay awake.

His sleepiness disappeared however, when they both arrived at the airport and came face to face with the other members of New Directions. Kurt and Blaine welcomed him with open arms, but the rest were still slightly bitter. Rachel wasn't sure if their bitterness stemmed from wanting to protect Rachel, or if it was because they blamed him for their loss at Regionals when Jesse was in Vocal Adrenaline. Despite having apologized and wished them well, Finn seemed extremely bitter at the sight of them together. Jesse couldn't help but smirk at that.

"Don't let it go to your head." Rachel muttered under hear breathe as they sat down together.

He snickered.

"I've already spoken to them about you coming and they swore they wouldn't give you any trouble." She said.

"Good to see you, Jesse." said Mister Schuester as nicely as he could manage.

"Hey Mr. Schue, your son is back!" said Brittany happily.

This lightened the mood slightly for the group. Everyone but Finn seemed to be amused. Jesse took note of this and walked up to him with a polite smile.

"Come to gloat?" Finn asked him bitterly.

"Not at all. I just want to get everything out in the open so there is no awkwardness." he said simply. "Rachel is my girlfriend, and I don't ever plan on changing that."

"You say that now until you hurt her again. Then I'll be there." he replied.

Jesse laughed lightly.

"I don't make the same mistake twice."

"Just take care of her." said Finn, looking him in the eye seriously.

"I will."

Finn suddenly offered his hand out to Jesse. He looked down at it, and then back up at him suspiciously.

"Are you serious, Hudson?" he asked.

"Hurry up before I change my mind."

Jesse grabbed Finn's hand and they shook to signify their truce.

* * *

"So you got to go to Los Angeles and New York City in the span of a few months. Pretty exciting." said Jesse as they walked down the brightly lit street of New York that night.

Rachel barely paid any attention to what he said because she was absolutely enamored with the dazzling electric signs that advertised Broadway shows. She looked like a little girl in a candy store.

"You're absolutely wonderstruck." he said as he watched her.

Jesse chuckled and grabbed her hand to pull her away from the rest of New Directions.

"Where are we going?" she asked excitedly.

"I want you to see something."

"Jesse! Mr. Schue is going to get mad!" she yelled as they ran.

They rounded the corner and found themselves standing smack dab in front of an old looking theatre.

"Wow…" she whispered.

"This," he said, slightly out of breathe. "is where you will be performing tomorrow."

"You're kidding! This is it?" she asked, bursting with excitement.

"If you need proof, look at the posters." he said with a smile as he pointed to the large posters behind lighted glass.

They read: "Show Choir Nationals Championship Finale!"

Each poster had a group shot of the competing teams. They walked down and looked at the two other teams from other parts of the county smiling back at them. At the end was a poster with all the members of New Directions looking radiant. Rachel was in the center of the picture smiling brightly.

"Okay Ms. Berry, I do believe it's time for a picture to commemorate this occasion." he said as he pulled out his camera.

Rachel jumped next to the picture of her team and pointed at herself as she smiled as he took the picture.

"Perfect." he said softly.

"This is so amazing! I'm glad you're here." she said as she gleefully ran into his arms to give him a kiss.

"One more thing." he said, his eyes flickering with devilish excitement.

"Jesse…what do you have planned?" she asked suspiciously.

He grabbed her hand again and pushed the door to the theatre open.

"You'd think they'd lock the doors in New York City." he said as he casually strolled into the lobby.

"Jesse we can't!"

"I snuck in every time I was here with Vocal Adrenaline for Nationals. We used the space for a last minute rehearsal. It's fine." he said as he dragged her into the auditorium.

She was totally speechless by how big the theatre was inside. When they reached the stage, he climbed on top and reached out for her to grab his hand so he could pull her up. She stood there and looked out at the empty seats as he went backstage to turn the lights on.

"Where is that stereo?" she heard him ask from backstage.

"What?"

"We have to sing something. We can't not." he said casually. "Ah, here we go. I expect you to join me!"

He hit play and walked back out to the stage before starting to sing.

_Ah oh oh_

"Come on, Rach! You know this." he said as he grabbed her hand.

She giggled before joining him.

**Ah oh oh**

She definitely knew this song. It was one of her favorite Taylor Swift songs to sing along to. She instantly jumped into the song as they sang together.

**You were in college working part time waiting tables  
Left a small town never looked back  
**_I was a flight risk with a fear of falling  
Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts_**  
I say can you believe it?  
As we're lying on the couch  
The moment I could see it  
**_Yes, yes I can see it now_

_**Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?  
You put your arm around me for the first time  
**_**You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
**_**You are the best thing that's ever been mine**_

Jesse grabbed her hand and spun her around before they started the second verse.

**Flash forward and we're taking on the world together  
And there's a drawer of my things at your place  
**_You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded  
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes_  
_But we got bills to pay, we got nothing figured out  
When it was hard to take  
Yes, yes, this is what I thought about  
_  
_** Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?  
You put your arm around me for the first time  
**_**You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
You are the best thing that's ever been mine  
**_Do you remember all the city lights on the water?  
You saw me start to believe for the first time  
_**You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter**  
_**You are the best thing that's ever been mine  
**_

Rachel broke away from Jesse as they ran to opposite ends of the stage to look out at their imaginary audience. She closed her eyes and remembered their breakup and the fight they had before they came to New York.

__ _And I remember that fight, 2:30 am  
As everything was slipping right out of our hands_  
**I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street**

She broke out into a run down the catwalk and stood at the end. Jesse followed her and stood behind her silently.

**Braced myself for the **_**goodbye**_**  
Cause that's all I've ever known  
Then you took me **_**by surprise**_**  
You said **_**I'll never leave you alone**_

He grabbed her hand and turned her around to face him as they sang. He sang to her so honest and sincerely, that she knew that he meant the words he sang. They were both instantly taken back to their talk at the beach in California when they looked out at the water. Once again, a Taylor Swift song told Rachel's story. This time though, it was their story.

**You said**

_I remember how we felt sitting by the water  
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time  
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter  
She is the best thing that's ever been mine_

She grabbed his hand and lead him back to the main stage as their singing overlapped each other.

**Hold on, make it last**  
**Hold on**, _never turn back_  
**You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
You are the best thing that's ever been mine  
**_Yes, yes do you believe it?_  
**Yes, yes we're gonna make it now**  
_Yes, yes I can see it_  
_**I can see it now**_

When they finished the song, Rachel ran into his arms and he picked her up and spun her around. As they kissed, they heard the sound of applause coming from the back of the auditorium. They both froze in their places before turning to see who was there.

"Brilliant." said a female voice. "But you do realize you can disqualify yourself from competition for sneaking around here at this time?"


	17. It Was The Night Things Changed

**A/N: lots of lyrics to this one because it's nationals so I recommend you hear these songs before you read if you're not familiar. The mash up in the middle is the Tiffany Alvord Taylor Swift Medley that can be found on you tube. It's an amazing mash up that would make a great Glee performance. If you need help imagining the chorus in the background for Change, look up Taylor's performance of Change at the ACMs where she had an acapella group sing backup.

* * *

**

"What?" Rachel asked frightfully.

Jesse dropped his hands from Rachel's waist in shock.

"For all we know you two could have been rigging a trap against the competition." said the voice as it came closer.

"No! We were just singing!" said Rachel.

The voice laughed as she stepped closer to the light.

"Who is it?" Rachel whispered to Jesse.

Jesse walked down the catwalk and stopped at the end with his arms crossed.

"Shelby." he said coldly.

"Oh come on Jesse, that's no way to greet the person who coached you through four straight wins at Nationals." said Shelby as she stepped into the light.

Rachel covered her mouth in shock.

"Help me up now, will you?" she asked as she held out her hand from the base of the stage.

He reluctantly pulled her onto the stage. When she held her arms open for a hug, he simply stared at her silently.

"Okay, so I take it you know the truth." she said as she clapped her hands together. "This is awkward."

"What are you doing here?" Rachel said loudly from the curtains. "Vocal Adrenaline isn't even competing!"

Shelby turned to face her daughter and ran her hand through her hair nervously.

"Turns out that coaching a team to national victory for four years in a row qualifies you to judge a competition." she said in a tone she'd use to say "surprise!"

"You're biased!" she shouted as she walked down to catwalk to stand next Jesse.

"I can see how you'd think that, but Vocal Adrenaline isn't competing so there's really no problem here." she reasoned.

"You hate me! You'll vote against us just because of that." Rachel shouted.

Shelby's face crumpled and she turned around to hide her sad face from them.

"Oh Rachel…" she muttered before turning back to face her.

"I don't hate you, baby." she insisted as she reached out to grab Rachel's shoulders.

Rachel immediately pulled away and Jesse stepped in front of her protectively.

"Maybe you should resign as judge." he said coldly.

"Just hear me out, you two." she said as she nudged Jesse aside to speak to Rachel.

"You have one minute." he said as he put his arm around Rachel for support.

"I have a lot to apologize to both of you for." she said. "Jesse, I shouldn't have used you to get to Rachel. I caused so much damage by doing that and it was all for nothing."

He shook his head and a small smile crept upon his face.

"You don't have to apologize for that. If you didn't send me on that mission, then I probably never would have met Rachel." he said before planting a kiss on Rachel's forehead.

It was Shelby's turn to shake her head this time.

"You would've met eventually when you both become stars. That's inevitable." she said with a smile.

"You may be right, but it doesn't get you out of what you did." said Rachel.

"Okay let me continue." said Shelby. "Rachel, I'm sorry for putting you through all that trouble for nothing. It was incredibly selfish of me to put you through so much pain and then leave you. I saw this beautiful young woman who seemed to be doing just fine without me. You didn't need me. So I ran for it."

"You're wrong." said Rachel angrily. "I needed you more than you know. My dads are great to me but it still would have helped to have a woman in my life to look up to that was within reach!"

"I realize that now, and that's why I feel bad." muttered Shelby, "Nothing I can say or do will make up for it but if you want me to be in your life now I won't run. If you decide you don't want me in your life, then I will understand and stay out of your way."

Rachel nodded silently without looking her in the eye.

"And lastly, an apology to both of you." Shelby continued and faced Jesse. "You obviously know now that Rachel didn't come to me and tell me that she didn't want to be with you."

"We happened to figure that out." he replied bitterly.

"That was part selfishness, part looking out for you." she insisted. "I had to have you back leading Vocal Adrenaline so we could win. We would have come in dead last without you."

"Clearly." he said smugly.

"And then you looked as though you were so willing to give everything up for her. I didn't want you to give your dreams up for a girl- even if she is my daughter."

Jesse nodded understandingly.

"I'm sorry." Shelby whispered again.

Rachel and Jesse exchanged looks before nodding in agreement.

"Apology accepted." said Rachel with a small smile.

Shelby held out her hand for her to shake, but Rachel and Jesse came forward to give her a hug. They had enough with holding grudges against her and just wanted to move forward. Things may not be happily ever after from then on, but at least that was settled between them.

"So…" Rachel started nervously. "New Directions isn't getting disqualified are we?"

Shelby laughed.

"No, I was just pulling your leg there. But don't expect me to go easy on you during the judging. I will be totally impartial."

"But you're going to vote for us anyway, because we're that amazing." Rachel said smugly.

"Oh! She's starting to sound like you, Jesse!" said Shelby with a laugh.

He laughed lightly and kissed Rachel on her cheek lovingly.

"I couldn't be more proud right now." he said happily. "At least not until you win tomorrow."

* * *

That night Rachel snuck out of the girl's hotel room and tip toed down the hall past Mr. Schuester's room and the boy's room. She knocked on the door to room number 313 and anxiously waited for the door to open. When Jesse let her in, she walked straight to his bed and dove under the covers.

"Okay…" he said as he shut the door.

She silently curled herself into his comforter so that he couldn't see her.

"Are you playing a game or something?" he said, his voice laced with interest as he sat at the foot of the bed.

"Jesse…" she said sadly.

He pulled the blanket from her when he laid down next to her so he could speak to her face to face.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm nervous. Can you believe it? I've been competing for my whole life and I'm so nervous I could puke right now." she said as she stared at the ceiling dramatically.

Jesse pulled her closer and traced light lines up and down her arm.

"All of those nerves will go away the second you step foot on that stage. You'll be home." he said as he pushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Why do you always have to be right?" she asked as she rolled over to face him.

"You love me for it." he muttered.

"That I do." she said as she leaned onto his chest.

"We have a problem here." he said playfully.

"What?"

"Now that you're here, I don't think I want to let you go back to your room. You're awfully nice to cuddle with."

"I don't have to leave." she as she looked up and flashed him a wicked stare.

His eyebrow shot up in interest.

"Why, Ms. Berry…" he growled as he pulled her on top of him.

She straddled him and silenced him with a kiss.

"Rach—" he muttered mid-kiss.

"What?" she asked through kisses along his jaw.

"Are you sure you want this?"

She stopped and looked up at him.

"I've wanted this for a while now, and I've never been more certain."

Jesse rolled her over so that he was on top of her.

"I love you." he whispered breathily.

Pulling him close, she whispered that she loved him too into his ear.

"More than you'll ever know."

* * *

"There's so many people out there." said Artie nervously as he watched the backstage monitors of the stage and audience.

Quinn put a supportive hand on his shoulder and kissed him on the top of his head.

"They won't know what hit them." she assured him.

Rachel walked out from the girls dressing room fully dressed in her bright blue sparkly dress and cowboy boots. The rest of the girls wore matching outfits that fit them in all the right places. The guys wore dark wash denim jeans with black button shirts and bright blue vests.

"Do we look awesome, or do we look awesome." said Blaine, as he sat on one of the green room couches with his arm around Kurt.

"Let's knock 'em dead." Rachel said enthusiastically.

"Rachel… you're absolutely radiant." said Kurt with a wink.

He was the only one who knew. She looked away to hide the fact that she was blushing badly.

"There's something here for you." said Tina.

There was a beautiful bouquet of red and orange roses lying on the coffee table in the center of the room. She jumped over to it to examine it for a card. There was a bright pink card right in the middle that read: _Break a leg._ _You are the best thing that's ever been MINE. xJ_

"Jesse." she whispered.

"Alright guys, here we go. The moment of truth!" said Mister Schuester as he entered the room. "You've spent the past few months preparing nonstop. You're ready."

The whole group cheered together in excitement.

"Mister Schue, if I may?" said Rachel brightly.

"Of course."

"Okay gang, we worked so hard for this and have felt what it's like to fail. Tonight will be different. Because tonight will be the night things change." she said emotionally. "Thank you for being the best group I could have ever dreamt of performing with. You're all stars."

Rachel's motivational words were enough to fill the whole group with the confidence to go out there.

"Alright Kurt and Blaine, you're up." said Mister Schuester with an encourage smile.

They decided to open their performance in the back of the arena like they did in previous competitions because it was always a crowd pleaser. Kurt threw the curtains into the auditorium open and the spotlight hit him gloriously.

_Drag me head first, Fearless._

Blaine threw open the other curtain at the other entrance of the auditorium and began singing the verse. They both walked up the aisle as they reached the stage slowly.

**There's somethin' 'bout the way  
The street looks when it's just rained  
There's a glow off the pavement  
Walk me to the car**  
**And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there  
In the middle of the parking lot  
Yeah**_  
_

**Oh yeah**

_We're drivin' down the road  
I wonder if you know  
I'm tryin' so hard not to get caught up now  
But you're just so cool  
Run your hands through your hair  
Absent mindedly makin' me want you_

_**Cause I don't know how it gets better than this  
You take my hand and drag me head first  
Fearless  
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress  
Fearless**_

They reached the front of the stage where they danced together as the curtain opened. The rest of New Directions ran out harmonizing in the background.

**Well you stood there with me in the doorway  
My hands shake  
I'm not usually this way but  
**_You pull me in and I'm a little more brave  
It's the first kiss,  
It's flawless,  
Really something,  
__**It's fearless.**_

_**Drag me head first fearless.**_

Rachel came forward and picked up a sparkly guitar that a stagehand handed her.

_We were both young when I first saw you  
I close my eyes and the flashback starts Im standing there  
__**(Jump then fall)**_  
_On a balcony in summers air_  
_**(Jump then fall into me)**_

Tina came forward and danced around Rachel as she played the guitar and sang:

**Youre on the phone with your girlfriend shes upset  
Shes going off about something that you said  
She doesnt get your humor like I do**

_**(Jump then headfirst fearless)**_

_**(You stare at the phone)**_  
_But you were Romeo  
__**(He still hasn't called)  
**__And my daddy said stay away from Juliet  
__**(Can't feel nothing at all)  
**__And I was crying on the staircase_  
_**(When he said forever and always) **_  
_And I said_

Everyone danced around Rachel as they sang the backups.

_Romeo_  
_**(You're the reason for the teardrops on my guitar)**_  
_**(Forever and always)**_  
_I'll be waiting all thats left to do is run_  
_**(Today was a fairy tale)  
**__You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess  
__**(Only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star)  
(Forever and always)**_  
_It's a love story baby_

Rachel skipped down the aisle with her guitar and continued her song.

_You should've said no  
You should've gone home  
I'm wondering if you'll ever be coming around_  
_**(Our song is the slammin' screen door)  
**_  
_I Should've been there_  
_In the back of your mind_  
_**(Forever and always)  
**__When I met you on the outskirts of town_

_And I said Romeo save me_  
_**(I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale)**_  
_I keep waiting_  
_**(Lead me up the stairwell)**_  
_Is this in my head, I don't know what to think  
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said,  
_

_She skipped back to the group as they finished their song. Tina twirled around her again as they danced. _

_Marry me Juliet_  
_**(You're the reason for the teardrops on my guitar)  
(Forever and always)**_  
**Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you  
**_**(Today was a fairy tale)**_  
**Our song is the slamming screen door**  
**You belong with me**  
_**(Jump then head first fearless)**_

_Romeo save me_  
_**(Only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star)  
(Forever and always)  
**_**I've been here all along so why can't you**  
_**(You should've said no)**_  
_**Our song is the slamming screen door**_**  
You belong with me**  
_It's a love story baby just say yes_

The whole team lined up side by side and Rachel jumped forward.

"Good evening, New York City! We are New Directions!"

The music started up again to begin their final song.

* * *

**A/N: Everyone has a part in the song so I'm just going to make note of who sings what line like a script.

* * *

**

**Finn: **_And it's a sad picture, the final blow hits you  
Somebody else gets what you wanted again and_  
_You know it's all the same, another time and place_  
_Repeating history and you're getting sick of it_  
**Mercedes:** _But I believe in whatever you do  
And I'll do anything to see it through_

_**Because these things will change  
Can you feel it now?  
These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down**_  
_**This revolution, the time will come  
For us to finally win**_  
_**And we'll sing hallelujah, we'll sing hallelujah**_

**Puck/Lauren:** _So we've been outnumbered  
Raided and now cornered_  
_It's hard to fight when the fight ain't fair  
__**Quinn/Artie:**_ _We're getting stronger now  
Find things they never found__**  
**_**Santana/Brittany: **_They might be bigger  
But we're faster and never scared_  
**Sam:** _You can walk away, say we don't need this  
_**Tina/Mike**: _But there's something in your eyes  
Says we can beat this_

**Kurt/Blaine:** _Because these things will change_

_**Can you feel it now?  
These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down  
This revolution, the time will come  
For us to finally win  
And we'll sing hallelujah, we'll sing hallelujah**_

Rachel walked down the line of them as she played the guitar and sang.

**Rachel:** _Tonight we stand, get off our knees  
Fight for what we've worked for all these years  
And the battle was long, it's the fight of our lives  
But we'll stand up champions tonight._

_**And we sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah  
Hallelujah**_

The audience broke out into a thundering standing ovation. It was so loud that a few of them covered their ears. Rachel closed her eyes to take in the sound that was music to her ears. This was home. She looked down at the judges and saw them all clapping. Shelby wiped a few tears away proudly. She looked over at the audience again and found Jesse standing in the dead center in front of her. He'd never looked more proud.

"Can we have all the competing show choirs on stage please?"

The large stage was filled with young hopefuls eagerly fidgeting for the results.

"The results please?" asked the announcer.

Shelby walked over to him and handed him the envelope. Her eyes locked with Rachel, but the look on her face was hard to read.

"Okay- second runner up is… The California Showstoppers!" he shouted as the audience cheered.

After they claimed their award, they left the stage.

"And the winner…" he said slowly to build up the tension.

Rachel was shaking in her boots. She looked down at Jesse who was biting his nails nervously.

"Whatever happens right now, guys, you're all champions." said Mister Schuester.

"Here we go…" he continued. "The winning team of the 2010 National Show Choir Championship Competition is...Lima, Ohio's NEW DIRECTIONS!"

The crowd broke out into another deafening roar, as they obviously approved of the winner. Everything from that point seemed to happen in slow motion. The whole team jumped up and down (Artie wheeled around in celebratory circles with Quinn on his lap). Mister Schuester cried as he was handed the trophy. He looked over at them with pride. A burst of confetti rained down on them as they cheered.

"Do you have anything you'd like to say?" the host asked.

Suddenly time started to resume it's normal speed and Rachel stepped forward to grab the mic. She shot a look over at the band in the side of the stage to give them a cue. With tears in her eyes she looked down at Jesse (who was still cheering madly) and blew him a kiss before singing.

_It was the night things changed  
Can you see it now?  
These walls that they put up to hold us back fell down_

The rest of the group joined her on the end of the song.

_**It's a revolution, throw your hands up  
Cause we never gave in  
And we sang hallelujah, we sang hallelujah**_

Rachel sang stood in the middle and belted the final hallelujahs with the rest of the group singing back up.

_Hallelujah!_

_**Hallelujah! Hallelujah! It was the night things changed.**_

_**Hallelujah! Hallelujah!**_

They jumped up and down and danced while the band played the ending instrumentals to the song. It was the highlight of their high school years. All of their work and sweat put into this club finally paid off tonight. Tonight this group of misfits was National Champions. Tonight, they were stars.


	18. Epilogue: We Will Be Remembered

**A/N: Seeing as the writers of Glee like to screw around with the time line and throw continuity out of the window, I've made every member of New Directions students in the same year. This is probably my ideal ending for the show.

* * *

**

**Epilogue**

The Nationals win brought upon a great change for New Directions. Principal Figgins rewarded Mister Schuester with a pay raise and a budge three times as big for the group. They were able to afford top of the line costumes and a renovations for a bigger choir room. Local news crews showed up at the school the week after they returned to interview the championship winners. The attention brought to the school made the show choir's popularity status rise up to the standards of the jocks and cheerleaders. There was only one thing different about their equal status. The members of New Directions swore to not let the popularity go to their head and they treated every student from every layer of the social pyramid equally.

It seemed as though each of them had influenced others in the school for the better. During the following school year, more and more gay students came out of the closet inspired by Kurt and Blaine. More and more disabled students signed up for clubs and activities that they would normally not feel like they had a chance to join. The football team showed up at the choir room with slushies for them to _drink_. Sue Sylvester wasn't happy about sharing the budget, but she helped organize Cheerios/New Directions Invitational's that sold out crowds every month. The biggest change however, was the line that wrapped around the hallway in front of the New Directions sign-up sheet every year. Dozens of students from all of the social classes at the school lined up excitedly to sign up for an audition slot.

Rachel passed by a red headed freshman girl who was at the front of the line. She had a bright pink baby doll dress on with a white beret on her head. Strung around her neck was a necklace with a diamond star. The sign up pen that she was trying to write with had run out.

"Here." said Rachel as she handed her a fuzzy pink pen.

"Thank you… oh my goodness, you're Rachel Berry!" she squeaked. "You're the reason I'm joining!"

Rachel blushed, but held her head high.

"I'm incredibly flattered." she replied with a smile. "What song are you auditioning with?"

"On My Own." she said as she signed her name and followed her down the hall.

"I can't wait to hear you sing, then. That was my audition song." she said before walking off.

New Directions grew so big after auditions, that it was as big as Vocal Adrenaline. Shelby missed coaching so much that Mister Schuester recommended she apply for the position of Co-Director of the group. They were able to effortlessly win Sectionals and Regionals again, leaving Vocal Adrenaline off in the dust.

Jesse transferred to NYU and flew over from New York for every one of Rachel's performances. Every night they debated over set lists and costume choices for the performances. Whenever he had an audition to prepare for, he'd call her to listen to him sing his piece. She'd of course give a constructively critical opinion that would push him to work harder.

The week before graduation, New Directions was able to snag another Nationals Championship win, landing them on the cover of the Entertainment section of the New York Times. They flew back just in time to walk down the aisle and accept their diplomas in the ceremony set up in the school's football field the next night.

Rachel's fathers sat up front of the family and friends section with Shelby and Jesse proudly. They all held roses for their favorite graduate. Rachel waved to them from her seat in the front row of the audience. She, along with the rest of the girls wore white caps and gowns that made them look absolutely radiant. The guys wore red caps and gowns so that they all together matched the school's colors.

Principal Figgins took the microphone in the center of the elevated stage. He strolled through the boring parts as slowly as he possibly could. Everyone was about to fall asleep, when Mister Schuester walked up on stage and took the microphone.

"Good evening." he started. "I graduated from this very school in the 90s and now I've had the pleasure to be working as a Spanish teacher at William McKinley High School for years now. Throughout all these years here, I've never enjoyed it half as much as I have with this graduating class right here."

He paused as he took a deep breath to prevent getting emotional, but it was useless. His tears were coming whether he liked it or not.

"Especially with the members of New Directions. You guys were the biggest group of misfits Ohio has ever seen. I got to see you all grow out of your shells and become confident young adults who are now ready to take on the world. I feel so blessed to have coached you through the losses and of course, the wins. As Rachel Berry said before our first Nationals win: 'You are all stars.'"

He wiped a few tears from his eyes. Rachel looked down at the rest of the group as they tried to fight away tears. Even Finn and Puck sniffled every now and then.

"No matter where life takes you, I hope you never forget your years here. You are the first group to have so many students actually make it out of this town. I'd like to read out a few scholarships and college acceptances so that you may all be as proud as I am." he continued.

"Artie Abrams, accepted to UCLA for Film and Music."

Quinn kissed Artie's cheek in congratulations.

"Quinn Fabray, accepted to UCLA for an intended major in Communications."

"Go Quinn!" shouted Mercedes.

"Mercedes Jones, Ohio State University for Music Education; Brittany Pierce and Mike Chang accepted to Ohio State University for Dance. Santana Lopez accepted to Florida State University for Music."

"Party school!" Santana said with a whoop.

The crowd cheered.

"Lauren Zizes, accepted to the Art Institute for the Culinary field. Tina Cohen-Chang accepted to the Art Institute for Fashion Design."

After more cheers, he continued.

"Sam Evans and Noah Puckerman: Ohio State University with a football scholarship."

Coach Bieste applauded proudly from her seat with the faculty.

"Finn Hudson with a scholarship to Penn State for his activity in the McKinley High Glee Club."

Finn looked up proudly. Rachel knew how important it was to Finn to be able to go to college outside of Ohio. He was finally getting to live that dream of his. His mom, Carol, could be heard screaming his name from the parents and family section. His cheeks reddened slightly from embarrassment.

"Blaine Anderson and Kurt Hummel, our Prom Kings, have both snagged prestigious music scholarships at Columbia University."

The crowd cheered extra loud for them. Over the past year, Kurt and Blaine had become McKinley High's power couple. They had actually managed to kill the homophobia in the halls.

"And last but most certainly not least, Rachel Berry. Her hard work and dedication has earned her a full ride to New York University for Musical Theatre."

Rachel could hear her dads, Shelby, and Jesse cheering as loudly as they possibly could. She turned to face them and blew kisses.

"I understand you have something prepared for your fellow classmates, Rachel?" asked Mister Schuester.

She nodded and rose from her seat to walk up the ramp to the microphone.

"Congratulations, Rachel." Mister Schuester whispered.

"Thank you." she replied tearfully as she threw her arms around him. "For everything."

"No Rachel, thank you. New Directions would never have gotten to where it is today without you." he said before leaving her alone on the stage.

She held the microphone and smiled out at her friends, family, and boyfriend.

"I came to McKinley as an outcast who dreamed of making it out of this town to be a star. I thought to myself that stardom was a lonely profession and that you just had to take the heartache that came with the loneliness. But thankfully, I didn't have to be alone. I was able to find a group of fellow outcasts who shared a love for music. We formed a group that welcomed people from all walks of the social ladder. Now that we are leaving, don't think that your footprint will disappear."

She smiled and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Because of all the hard work you all did to demand equality in this school, not one student who comes after us will know what it's like to have a slushy facial." she said, bringing the students to laugher.

"Because of all the hard work you did, students won't have to fear being who they are. It's okay to be gay, disabled, a goth, and even a jock or cheerleader who enjoys singing and dancing."

"Because of all the hard work you did, students don't have to fear to joining clubs that they are passionate about, like the Glee Club, without losing their social status."

She wiped away a few tears carefully so as not to mess up her makeup.

"If you can change an entire school in such little time, imagine what you can do to the world during the rest of your lives? It has been a pleasure knowing you all, and I'm incredibly thankful that you have put up with my dramatic diva tendencies. You're the best friends I could have ever asked for."

Kurt stared up at her with tears streaming down his face and his hand on his heart. When their eyes met, he mouthed out "I love you."

"And so I of course have a song planned for all of you. But I ask that the members of New Directions join me as a final goodbye. If any of you know the words, feel free to sing along or come forward." she announced, as the rest of New Directions made their way up the ramp to the stage.

"I think this song really describes us and the struggle we went through to get to this day. I hope you all like it."

_I said remember this moment  
In the back of my mind  
The time we stood with our shaking hands  
The crowds in stands went wild  
We were the kings and the queens  
And they read off our names  
The night you danced like you knew our lives would never be the same  
You held your head like a hero on a history book page  
It was the end of a decade  
But the start of an age_

_**Long live the walls we crashed through  
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you  
I was screaming long live all the magic we made  
And bring on all the pretenders**_  
_One day we will be remembered_

_I said remember this feeling  
I pass the pictures around  
__**Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines  
Wishing for right now**__  
We are the kings and the queens  
You traded your baseball cap for a crown  
When they gave us our trophies  
__**And we held them up for our town**_  
_And the cynics were outraged  
Screaming __**this is absurd**__  
Cause for a moment a band of thieves in ripped up jeans got to rule the world_!

_**Long live the walls we crashed through  
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you  
I was screaming long live all the magic we made  
And bring on all the pretenders  
**__I'm not afraid_  
_**Long live all the mountains we moved  
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you  
I was screaming long live that look on your face  
And bring on all the pretenders  
One day we will be remembered**_

Mister Schuester pulled Ms. Pillsbury to join the chorus. Sue walked to the side of the stage and set off a celebratory confetti canon. As she walked back, she pulled Quinn aside and handed her an MVC (Most Valuable Cheerio) trophy with as much of a smile as she could manage. Quinn returned to the singing group in shock. As confetti rained down on them, Sam danced to the front to pull up Coach Bieste and Mister Schuester went back and pulled up April Rhodes on the stage. They were soon joined by Burt and Carol as they stood next to Finn and Kurt with proud smiles on their faces. The rest of the members invited their families to join them too.

Rachel skipped to the end of the stage and pulled Jesse up with her so they could dance together as they all sang. Her fathers stood at the base of the stage recording the whole thing, while Shelby cheered her on.

_**Hold on to spinning around  
Confetti falls to the ground  
May these memories break our fall**_

Rachel motioned for everyone to crowd around her in a line holding hands. This part of the song would make them all emotional. With Jesse holding one hand, and Kurt squeezing the other, Rachel looked up and sang._  
_  
_Will you take a moment, promise me this  
That you'll stand by me forever  
But if God forbid fate should step in  
And force us into a goodbye  
If you have children someday  
When they point to the pictures  
Please tell them my name_?

_Tell them how the_ _**crowds went wild**_  
_Tell them how I __**hope they shine**_

_Long live the walls we crashed through  
I had the time of my life with you_

They all broke out into a spirited celebratory dance as they ripped off their gowns and sang in their own graduation outfits. Everyone was so into it, they forgot the fact that they would all be going their separate ways soon. Just as long as they had this moment, everything would be okay._  
_  
_**Long long live the walls we crashed through  
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you  
And I was screaming long live  
All the magic we made  
And bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid  
**__Singing long live all the mountains we moved  
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you  
__**And long long live the look on your face**__  
__**And bring on all the pretenders**_

_One day_

Jesse lifted Rachel in the air and spun her around with pride.

"You're on your way, baby." he said to her before kissing her cheek.

She smiled back at him before facing the audience and singing the last line of the song.

_We will be remembered._

**The End.

* * *

**

**A/N: This concludes my first ever fanfiction, and I'm so happy and sad to have finished it. I had this story planned out from the beginning, (Seriously, I had chapters listed with what songs would be used), and it's a dream come true to actually reach that Epilogue I dreamt of so long ago . I left it open for a possible sequel in New York (without the Taylor Swift music), but if anything I'll keep writing St. Berry stories because they are the closest to my heart in the Glee realm. **

**I'd like to thank all of you for reading this, especially those who comment after I post a chapter. I'd also like to thank those following me on tumblr and giving me support to continue these stories because it keeps me going, it really does. **

**Final thanks go to Taylor Swift for inspiring this story, because this all started with me trying to imagine a Taylor centric episode. She'll always inspire me, and that's one of the reasons why I love her so.**


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